Related Experiment Videos
Dietary and serum iron, body iron stores and coronary heart disease
Insights
Coronary heart disease patients in India have lower body iron stores. This study measured serum iron, transferrin, and ferritin levels, finding significantly reduced ferritin and ferritin:transferrin ratio in cases.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cardiology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of mortality globally.
- The role of body iron stores in the pathogenesis of CHD requires further elucidation.
- Understanding iron status may offer novel therapeutic targets for cardiovascular health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between body iron stores and coronary heart disease (CHD).
- To evaluate serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin, ferritin, and ferritin:transferrin ratio (FTR) in CHD patients.
- To compare iron status markers between newly diagnosed CHD patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 58 CHD patients and 24 controls.
- Assessment included clinical history, dietary iron intake, and biochemical markers.
- Serum iron, TIBC, and ferritin were measured using standard biochemical assays and enzyme-linked immunoassay.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in age, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, or caloric/fat intake between groups.
- Dietary iron intake was comparable between cases and controls.
- CHD patients exhibited significantly lower ferritin levels (p=0.040) and ferritin:transferrin ratio (p=0.040) compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Body iron stores, specifically ferritin and FTR, are significantly lower in Indian patients with CHD.
- These findings suggest a potential link between reduced iron stores and the development of coronary heart disease.
- Further research is warranted to explore the clinical implications of iron status in CHD management.
Objectives:
To determine the role of body-iron stores as measured by serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin, ferritin and ferritin:transferrin ratio (FTR) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).
Methods:
A case-control study was performed in 58 newly diagnosed CHD patients and 24 controls who were evaluated using clinical history, dietary history and biochemical examination. Dietary iron was determined by history; serum iron and TIBC were measured biochemically and ferritin by enzyme-linked immunoassay. Case-control comparisons were performed by non-parametric Mann-Whitney test.
Results:
There was no significant difference in mean age, prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and smoking, and dietary intake of calories and fats in cases and controls. Dietary iron intake was 11.2 +/- 3.4 mg/day in cases and 11.3 +/- 3.8 mg/day in controls (p > 0.05). Serum fasting glucose, cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides were not significantly different in cases and controls (p > 0.05). LDL/HDL ratio (4.17 +/- 1.4 vs. 4.62 +/- 2.3) and total cholesterol/HDL ratio (6.47 +/- 1.6 vs. 6.91 +/- 2.4) were also similar. In the whole study group serum iron (54.8 +/- 35.7 mcg/dl), transferrin (11.6 +/- 7.4%) and ferritin (52.4 +/- 57.8 ng/ml) levels were low. In cases as compared to controls serum iron (56.9 +/- 31 vs. 49.6 +/- 45 mcg/dl; z = 1.707, p = 0.088) and transferrin saturation (12.5 +/- 7.8 vs. 9.5 +/- 6.2%; z = 1.83, p = 0.066) were slightly more. Ferritin levels (48.8 +/- 55 vs. 60.9 +/- 64 ng/ml; z = 2.048, p = 0.040) as well as FTR (5.51 +/- 8.6 vs 7.47 +/- 6.1, z = 2.054, p = 0.040) was significantly lower in cases.
Conclusions:
In Indian CHD patients the body iron stores are lower as compared to controls.