title: Increased serum ferritin is common in men with essential hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Insulin-resistance-associated hepatic iron overload syndrome (IRHIO) is characterized by high serum ferritin and presence of metabolic alterations that are part of insulin-resistance syndrome (IRS). Thus, clinical conditions characterized by a high prevalence of IRS may also be characterized by a high prevalence of IRHIO.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 88 consecutive patients with essential hypertension, 62 patients with IRHIO and 102 healthy normotensive controls. Hemochromatosis, other conditions able to induce secondary iron overload or serum ferritin increase unrelated to body iron stores were excluded. Iron indices, metabolic profiles and hepatic tests in hypertensive with or without increased serum ferritin and in IRHIO with and without hypertension were studied. Metabolic variables, serum iron indices, liver function tests and hepatic ultrasound data were analysed. Data were compared by non-parametric tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In men with hypertension, increased serum ferritin was more frequent than in controls (21 versus 0%, P = 0.001). Hypertensive men with increased serum ferritin had more frequent and pronounced metabolic alterations than those with normal serum ferritin, the metabolic abnormalities and serum ferritin being frequently positively correlated. In hypertensive men with increased serum ferritin, metabolic and iron data were similar to those of IRHIO patients with hypertension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In males, hypertension is characterized by a higher prevalence of increased iron stores and metabolic abnormalities that are part of the IRHIO syndrome. This finding may have clinical implications due to the increased risk of IRHIO patients to develop hepatic cirrhosis and also for the role of iron in early atherogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Gerardo, Università Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy. Alberto.Piperno@unimi.it
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piperno
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trombini
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gelosa
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pecci
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vergani
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salvioni
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mancia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins