Failure to confirm ferritin and caeruloplasmin as risk factors for the angiographic extent of coronary arteriosclerosis

Abstract

Background: It has been suggested that iron overload, as assessed by increased serum ferritin concentration, may be a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Recent studies have reported conflicting data on the role of ferritin and other parameters of oxidative metabolism in CAD.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the relation between the extent of CAD and parameters of oxidation.

Methods: We studied 275 patients (208 men aged 55.1 +/- 9.6 years and 67 women aged 54.6 +/- 10.0 years) who underwent coronary angiography or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for the first time. The parameters assessed were: iron, ferritin, transferrin, copper, caeruloplasmin and lipid. Cinefilms were assessed by the use of three scores: (1) Vessel score: 0-3 points; 1 point for each of the three main coronary arteries with a stenosis >70%. (2) Stenosis score: 0-32 points; the coronary artery tree was divided into eight segments that were scored 1-4 points per segment with respect to the maximal degree of stenosis. (3) Extent score: 0-100 points; extent of diffuse coronary lesions in each segment in relation to the length of the vessel. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the results.

Results: Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.001) in women, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.05) in men, and patient age showed a significant correlation with all three scores, but none of the parameters of oxidative metabolism (iron, transferrin, ferritin, copper, caeruloplasmin) correlated significantly with any of the three scores.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated a correlation between lipoproteins and the angiographic extent of CAD, but did not confirm a role for serum ferritin and other oxidative parameters as risk factors for the extent of CAD.