Serum iron, infection and inflammation; effects on coronary risk.
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.
Kervinen
Helena
H
Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Tenkanen
Leena
L
Palosuo
Timo
T
Roivainen
Merja
M
Manninen
Vesa
V
Mänttäri
Matti
M
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
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D007501:Iron