Serum hepcidin levels showed a significant variability across the different MDS subtypes (P = 0.003 by ANOVA), with the lowest values in patients with refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS) and the highest values in subjects with refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB) and in patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). The gene discussed is HAMP; the disease is myelodysplastic syndrome with single lineage dysplasia.