Association of increased ferritin with premature coronary stenosis in men

Abstract

Background: Body iron status has been implicated in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The main hypothesis is that high iron status is associated with increased oxidation of LDL. We investigated the potential role of ferritin as an additional risk factor promoting atherosclerosis among a young population with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: Four hundred consecutive patients (218 males, 182 females) referred for diagnostic coronary angiography were examined, and risk factors for CAD, lipids, C-reactive protein (CRP), and ferritin concentrations were recorded for all participants.

Results: Ferritin was higher in the male patients with CAD (121 microg/L; range, 56-258 microg/L) than in the men without significant CAD (73 microg/L; range, 32-138 microg/L; P <0.002). Multiple logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for the established coronary risk factors, showed ferritin as an independent discriminating risk factor for CAD (P <0.01). Men in the highest quartile of ferritin had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.62 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.12-2.42; P <0.01] compared with men in the lowest quartile of ferritin. The association between ferritin and CAD was more pronounced in male patients < or =50 years (OR = 2.65; 95% CI, 1.35-5.51; P <0.003). Ferritin was significantly higher in diabetic male patients in comparison with nondiabetic male patients [168 microg/L (range, 74-406 microg/L) vs 106 microg/L (range, 44-221 microg/L), respectively; P <0.002]. No association was observed between ferritin and CAD among the female patients.

Conclusion: Our data suggest that increased ferritin might be an independent predictor of premature CAD in male Iranian patients.