Haptoglobin has been shown earlier to be of potential usefulness for the diagnosis of sepsis in preterm and term newborns.[25] Importantly, in our results HP, as well as the corresponding receptor for haptoglobin-hemoglobin-complexes CD163, are positively co-regulated, implicating an important role of iron homeostasis in early sepsis. The gene discussed is HP; the disease is Sepsis.