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Using cluster analysis with principal component analysis to study the iron metabolism in polycythemia vera
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Abstract
Background. Iron deficiency is a common complication in patients with polycythemia vera (PV). Unfortunately, little is known about the pathomechanisms of iron deficiency in PV. There have been no studies in the last decade documenting iron disorders in PV, despite progress in understanding the iron metabolism and new laboratory techniques measuring iron parameters.
Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between iron metabolism parameters, haematological and biochemical factors and clinical attributes in polycythemia vera patients with the use of cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA).
Patients and methods. The study was performed on 60 patients (F/M 26/34) aged 38–84 (66 ± 10) years. The following parameters were determined in blood samples: hepcidin, prohepcidin, iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC), ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), transferrin saturation (TfS), complete blood cell count, erythropoietin (Epo), uric acid, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
Results. The CA divided all the 17 parameters into three clusters and showed that hepcidin concentrationis related to the duration of hydroxyurea therapy. PCA also revealed a positive correlation between hepcidin and therapy duration.
Conclusions. We demonstrated that CA and PCA are efficacious methods for assessing the relationship between iron metabolism parameters and clinical attributes in PV patients.
Abstract
Background. Iron deficiency is a common complication in patients with polycythemia vera (PV). Unfortunately, little is known about the pathomechanisms of iron deficiency in PV. There have been no studies in the last decade documenting iron disorders in PV, despite progress in understanding the iron metabolism and new laboratory techniques measuring iron parameters.
Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between iron metabolism parameters, haematological and biochemical factors and clinical attributes in polycythemia vera patients with the use of cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA).
Patients and methods. The study was performed on 60 patients (F/M 26/34) aged 38–84 (66 ± 10) years. The following parameters were determined in blood samples: hepcidin, prohepcidin, iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC), ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), transferrin saturation (TfS), complete blood cell count, erythropoietin (Epo), uric acid, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
Results. The CA divided all the 17 parameters into three clusters and showed that hepcidin concentrationis related to the duration of hydroxyurea therapy. PCA also revealed a positive correlation between hepcidin and therapy duration.
Conclusions. We demonstrated that CA and PCA are efficacious methods for assessing the relationship between iron metabolism parameters and clinical attributes in PV patients.
Keywords
hepcidin, iron metabolism, polycythemia vera, cluster analysis, principal component analysis
About this articleTitle
Using cluster analysis with principal component analysis to study the iron metabolism in polycythemia vera
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original article
Pages
67-72
Published online
2013-12-27
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771
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1765
Bibliographic record
Folia Medica Copernicana 2013;1(2):67-72.
Keywords
hepcidin
iron metabolism
polycythemia vera
cluster analysis
principal component analysis
Authors
Justyna Kwapisz
Artur Słomka
Joanna Boinska
Paulina Giemza-Kucharska
Ewa Żekanowska