title: Serum iron, infection and inflammation; effects on coronary risk.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the potential pathways of association between serum iron and coronary heart disease, with major emphasis on factors related to infections and inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nested case-control study with 215 cases (myocardial infarction or coronary death) and 215 matched controls over 8.5 years. Logistic regression analyses were used to compare relative risks in various serum iron-high sensitive CRP-total leucocyte count-herpes simplex virus-1 antibody categories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with low iron (< 17 micromol/l) had increased coronary risk with Odds Ratio (OR) of 2.1 (95% CI 1.1-3.8). Simultaneous elevation of hs-CRP and leucocyte count increased the risk substantially in those with low iron, OR 9.8 (95% CI 3.9-24.4). A combination of high herpes simplex virus-1 antibody level and low iron increased the risk modestly (OR 1.2), but when hs-CRP level was high simultaneously, the OR was 13.1 (95% CI 2.9-60.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest an association between low serum iron level and coronary risk. The association is not independent, but is related to the fact that chronic infections and inflammation are accompanied with low serum iron.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kervinen
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tenkanen
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Palosuo
authors.forename: Merja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roivainen
authors.forename: Vesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manninen
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mänttäri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000097:blood*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D007501:Iron