Association of ferritin and lipids with C-reactive protein.
C-reactive protein (CRP) and lipids (e.g., low-density lipoprotein [LDL]) are both markers of cardiovascular disease risk, yet they are not highly correlated. Oxidative stress of lipids induced by iron may play a role in vascular inflammation, as indicated by CRP. The purpose of this study was to examine, in a representative sample of United States adults, the relation between ferritin, lipids, and CRP. We analyzed data on adults (aged > or =25 years) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, a national public-use data set collected between 1988 and 1994. Ferritin, total cholesterol, LDL, high-density lipoprotein, and ferritin-lipid combinations were analyzed in relation to CRP in age-, gender-, and race-adjusted models as well as models with other potential confounding variables. In adjusted models, neither elevated ferritin (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94 to 1.32) nor elevated LDL was significantly associated with elevated CRP (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.33). Patients with elevated ferritin and elevated LDL were more likely to have elevated CRP (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.68). Patients with elevated ferritin and low high-density lipoprotein were also more likely to have elevated CRP (OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.28 to 2.27). These results suggest that both iron and lipids induce inflammation. Future research needs to focus on preventive medicine to decrease iron in patients with elevated lipids.
Mainous
Arch G
AG
Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA. mainouag@musc.edu
Wells
Brian J
BJ
Everett
Charles J
CJ
Gill
James M
JM
King
Dana E
DE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014481:United States
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins