A recently isolated peptide hormone, hepcidin, is thought to be the principal regulator of iron homeostasis. Hepcidin acts by limiting intestinal iron absorption and promoting iron retention in reticuloendothelial cells. The aims of this study were to determine serum hepcidin levels in preterm infants who receive blood transfusion and preterm infants having sepsis, in order to assess possible relationships between hepcidin and serum iron, serum ferritin,in iron load situations.