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Iron affects the pathogenesis and clinical course of several chronic metabolic diseases such as obesity, atherosclerosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. High pro-oxidant iron activity is physiologically controlled by mechanisms regulating entry, recycling, and loss of body iron. These mechanisms include the interplay of iron with ferritin, transferrin, hepcidin, insulin, as well as with adipokines and proinflammatory molecules. An imbalance of these regulatory mechanisms results in both systemic and parenchymal siderosis. Iron overload has a toxic effect on the major tissues involved in lipid and glucose metabolism — pancreatic β cells, liver, muscle, and adipose tissue — as well as the organs affected by chronic hyperglycemia — brain, retina and kidneys. Hyperferremia leads to a decrease in insulin secretion, the formation of insulin resistance and increased liver gluconeogenesis. Molecular mechanisms for these effects are diverse. Elucidating them will implicate both for carbohydrate metabolism disorders prevention and for the pathogenesis of other diseases that are, like diabetes mellitus type 2, associated with nutrition, aging and iron. The literature review presents data from world studies on the mutual influence of glucose metabolism and iron overload, and discusses the differences between hereditary and acquired disorders of iron metabolism from the standpoint of their influence on carbohydrate metabolism.

This research paper presents the results of a study of some indicators of iron metabolism in anaemia in pregnant women. The venous blood of 39 pregnant women with anaemia was examined. Serum ferritin, ferroportin and hepcidin were investigated for this purpose. The comparison group consisted of 19 pregnant women without anaemia. The haemoglobin concentration was measured by using «Mythic-18» haematological autoanalyzer. The concentrations of hepcidin and ferroportin were determined by using «Cloud-Clone Corp.» (USA), and ferritin concentrations were determined by using «Pishtaz teb» (Iran) reagents through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The study revealed a significant decrease in the level of ferritin, hepcidin and a significant increase in ferroportin level. A comprehensive definition of various indicators of iron metabolism provides important information not only for understanding the pathogenesis of iron deficiency anaemia in pregnant women but also for early diagnosis of the disease and the appointment of the correct treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.