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Association between Serum Iron and the Severity of Coronary Artery Disease
Babak Bagheri1, Mohammad Shokrzadeh2, Vahid Mokhberi1
1Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran.
Insights
Higher serum iron levels are linked to increased severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). This suggests iron status may be a risk factor for atherosclerosis, warranting further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biochemistry
- Public Health
Background:
- Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a leading global cause of mortality.
- Understanding cardiovascular risk factors is crucial, with LDL oxidation by iron implicated in atherogenesis.
- Evaluating iron stores is important for assessing atherosclerotic disease risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between serum iron levels and the severity of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).
- To determine if iron status is associated with atherosclerosis progression.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study of 337 patients with chronic stable angina.
- Coronary angiography and Syntax scoring were used to assess CAD severity.
- Serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, glucose, and iron were measured.
Main Results:
- A significant difference in serum iron levels was observed across CAD severity groups.
- Serum iron levels were significantly higher in patients with severe atherosclerosis compared to normal, mild, and moderate CAD.
- A positive correlation was found between serum iron levels and CAD severity.
Conclusions:
- Serum iron levels are elevated in patients with atherosclerosis and increase with disease severity.
- A probable relationship exists between serum iron levels and CAD.
- Further prospective and experimental studies are needed to confirm the association between iron status and atherosclerosis.
Background:
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the most important cause of mortality in the world. About half of cardiovascular risk factors have not been completely understood. Oxidation of LDL by oxidants such as iron plays a central role in atherogenesis. As a result, evaluation of the iron stores is important in the risk evaluation of the atherosclerotic disease.
Materials And Methods:
This cross sectional study was performed on 337 patients with chronic stable angina hospitalized in Sari heart center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences from February 2010 to July 2012. Coronary angiography was performed and the angiograms were evaluated by two cardiologists. Moreover, blood samples were collected after a 14-hour fast immediately before the coronary angiography in order to measure the total cholesterol, HDL- cholesterol, and glucose. The patients were divided into four groups to evaluate the severity of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) according to Syntax scoring system.
Results:
The study results revealed a significant difference among the four study groups regarding the iron serum level. It was significantly higher in the sever atherosclerosis group compared to the normal (P=0.0122), mild (P=0.023), and moderate CAD groups (P<0.001).
Conclusions:
The findings indicated that the serum level of iron was higher in the atherosclerotic patients and increased with the severity of CAD. Therefore, a basic relationship probably exists between the serum iron level and CAD. Further prospective and experimental studies are needed to confirm the association between the iron status and atherosclerosis.
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