Association of serum ferritin levels with metabolic syndrome and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal Korean women

Background: Several studies have suggested that increased iron storage may promote the development of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association of serum ferritin levels with metabolic syndrome and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.

Methods: We examined 280 postmenopausal women who visited the health promotion center of our hospital for a routine health checkup. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed by using the revised criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. The presence of coronary atherosclerosis was indicated by 64-row multi-detector computed tomography.

Results: The proportion of postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome and coronary atherosclerosis in the highest ferritin quartile was significantly higher compared with that in the lowest quartile. Serum ferritin levels were independently associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome (adjusted odds ratio for the highest quartile versus the lowest quartile, 3.313; 95% confidence interval, 1.251-8.775) and coronary atherosclerosis (adjusted odds ratio for the highest quartile versus the lowest quartile, 3.047; 95% confidence interval, 1.026-9.051), after adjusting for confounding factors.

Conclusions: Elevated serum ferritin levels may be associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.