title: Dietary iron intake and risk of non-fatal acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relation between several measures of body iron and atherosclerotic disease, particularly acute myocardial infarction (AMI), is debated. This is of specific interest since iron is frequently included in supplementation and fortification of foods. We assessed the relation between dietary iron intake and the risk of non-fatal AMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study. The information was collected by interviewers using a food-frequency questionnaire tested for validity and reproducibility. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained by multiple unconditional logistic regression models, including terms for energy and alcohol intake, as well as for sociodemographic factors, tobacco and other major recognised risk factors for AMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Milan, Italy, between 1995 and 1999.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases were 507 patients, below age 79 years, with a first episode of non-fatal AMI, and controls were 478 patients admitted to hospital for a wide spectrum of acute conditions unrelated to known or potential AMI risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with patients in the lowest tertile of total iron intake, the OR was 0.48 (95% CI 0.29-0.82) for those in the highest tertile. The corresponding value for haem iron was 0.71 (95% CI 0.48-1.06), for non-haem, non-alcohol iron was 0.80 (95% CI 0.51-1.24) and for iron derived from alcoholic beverages was 0.60 (95% CI 0.40-0.90). Sex-specific OR for total iron intake were not heterogeneous.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this Italian population dietary iron intake was inversely related to AMI risk. This inverse association may depend on other nutrients present in the major sources of iron in the Italian diet.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via Eritrea 62, I-20157 Milan, Italy. tavani@marionegri.it
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tavani
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gallus
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bosetti
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parpinel
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Negri
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: La Vecchia
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019266:Iron, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D019266:Iron, Dietary