Iron stores and HFE genotypes are not related to increased risk of first-time myocardial infarction: a prospective nested case-referent study.
OBJECTIVE
Our objectives were to study the relationship between iron stores, HFE genotypes and the risk for first-ever myocardial infarction.


METHODS
First-ever myocardial infarction cases (n=618) and double matched referents from the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Cohort Study were studied in a prospective nested case-referent setting. Plasma iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin iron saturation and ferritin were analyzed, as well as several confounders. HFE C282Y and H63D genotypes were determined.


RESULTS
There was an inverse risk association for myocardial infarction in the highest quartiles of iron (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.48-0.96) and transferrin iron saturation (OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.42-0.89) in men. This association, however, was lost after adjusting for C-reactive protein. Women homozygous for H63D had a higher risk for myocardial infarction.


CONCLUSIONS
No risk association between high iron stores and first-ever myocardial infarction was found. The higher risk in female H63D homozygotes is probably not related to iron metabolism.
Ekblom
Kim
K
Clinical Chemistry, Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. kim.ekblom@medbio.umu.se
Marklund
Stefan L
SL
Jansson
Jan-Håkan
JH
Hallmans
Göran
G
Weinehall
Lars
L
Hultdin
Johan
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
C103673:HFE protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D007501:Iron