title: Elevated transferrin saturation, health-related quality of life and telomere length.
abstract: We sought to examine the relationship between elevated transferrin saturation (TS) and measures of health status (telomere length and patient-reported health-related quality of life) to assess whether elevated TS is associated with negative patient outcomes beyond increased risk for morbidity and mortality, using a cross-sectional analysis of the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study supplemented with assays for leukocyte telomere length in adults ≥25 years old (n = 669). Among individuals with elevated TS (≥45 % for women and ≥50 % for men), who also had a usual source of care, only 5.2 % reported ever being told by a doctor that they had an elevated iron condition. In a fully adjusted general linear regression model controlling for demographic characteristics as well as health conditions associated with iron overload, elevated TS versus non-elevated TS was associated with worse general health status (60.4 vs. 63.8, P < 0.05), mental health status (76.5 vs. 82.2, P < 0.0001) and shorter telomere length (241.4 vs. 261.3, P < 0.05). Increased surveillance of elevated TS may be in order as elevated TS is associated with decreased health status and very few patients with elevated TS are aware of their condition.
authors: Departments of Health Services Research, Management & Policy, and Community Health and Family Medicine, Health Science Center, University of Florida, PO Box 100195, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA, arch.mainous@ufl.edu.
authors: Arch G
authors: AG
authors: Mainous
authors: Robert U
authors: RU
authors: Wright
authors: Mary M
authors: MM
authors: Hulihan
authors: Waleed O
authors: WO
authors: Twal
authors: Christine E
authors: CE
authors: McLaren
authors: Vanessa A
authors: VA
authors: Diaz
authors: Gordon D
authors: GD
authors: McLaren
authors: W Scott
authors: WS
authors: Argraves
authors: Althea M
authors: AM
authors: Grant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014168:Transferrin