Relation between the serum ferritin level and the risk for acute myocardial infarction

Increased estimated body iron stores have been recently suggested to be associated with increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI); however the question of whether serum ferritin level as an indicator for estimating body iron is an independent risk factor for cardiac events is still questioned. In the present study, we assessed whether serum ferritin was associated with the incidence of AMI.

The study population consisted of 100 consecutive male patients with first AMI (50 suffered STEMI and 50 with NSTEMI diagnosis) admitted within 12 hours of the onset of chest pain to coronary care units (CCU) at Ekbatan hospital in the city of Hamadan, Iran. A control group (n = 50) was also randomly selected among men without any evidences of AMI from same hospital. Serum ferritin was measured using an ELISA assay by a special kit at the first and fifth days after admission.

The first and fifth day serum ferritin concentrations averaged 56.75 and 112.5 µg/dl in STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) group, 36.5 and 87.25 µg/dl in NSTEMI (Non ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction)group and 22.5 and 42.0 µg/dl in control group that was significantly higher in former group. In this regard, the medium level of ferritin in STEMI, NSTEMI, and control groups were 159, 146, and 32.5 µg/dl, respectively that was significantly higher in those who suffered STEMI than in other study subgroups (p < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression model showed that the elevated level of serum ferritin could predict occurrence of STEMI adjusted for initial ferritin concentration, patients' age and coronary disease risk factors (OR = 5.1, P = 0.017).

Elevated serum ferritin can be a potent factor for predicting AMI especially STEMI.