Effect of iron deficiency anemia on the development of atherosclerosis in chicks

The effect of iron deficiency anemia on the development of atherosclerosis was investigated in chicks. The control group of birds were fed a basal diet, the atherosclerosis group received 1% cholesterol. The lipid content of the aortas of the chicks in atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis-anemia group also developed anemia of appreciable severity in 12 weeks. Hemoglobin and PCV were taken as the index of anemia, while the lipid constituents were determined in plasma and aortic tissue for atherosclerosis. Hypercholesterolemia of almost equal severity occurred in both atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis-anemia groups. The abnormal rise of cholesterol and other lipid material in the aortas of the atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis-anemia groups of birds indicates that iron deficiency anemia did not markedly affect the development of atheroslcerosis; it did not offer any protection in chickens and, in fact, a slight potentiating effect was observed.