Relationship of cardiovascular risk factors and serum ferritin with C-reactive protein.
BACKGROUND
Serum iron plays an important role in the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, it induces inflammatory reactions and it is positively related to coronary heart disease. An increase of the inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP), is a risk factor for future cardiac events. Hence, we examined the association of the cardiovascular disease risk factors and serum ferritin with CRP.


METHODS
This study was performed on 808 subjects (465 males and 343 females). CRP levels >3.0 mg/L, serum ferritin levels >200 ng/mL, total cholesterol levels >200 mg/dL and LDL-cholesterol levels >160 mg/dL were all considered as elevated. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels <40 mg/dL were considered as low.


RESULTS
In the group with low LDL-cholesterol, no correlation was detected between serum ferritin and hsCRP [odds ratio (OR) = 1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.81-3.48, p = 0.144]. However, a correlation was detected in the group with elevated LDL-cholesterol (OR = 11.21, 95% CI = 1.14-110.27, p = 0.032). In addition, when the interaction term was added to the assessment of the correlation between the elevated hsCRP and LDL-cholesterol, the strong correlation of hsCRP and serum ferritin was confirmed (p = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Oxidation of LDL-cholesterol by serum ferritin may play a role in the inflammatory reaction and for the increased hsCRP. Future prospective studies may be required to assess whether reducing the serum ferritin and CRP levels via medical intervention and life style modification would be helpful for preventing cardiovascular disease.
Sung
Ki Chul
KC
Division of Cardiology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kcmd.sung@samsung.com
Kang
Jin Ho
JH
Shin
Hun Sub
HS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins; D002784:Cholesterol