title: Association of serum ferritin levels with metabolic syndrome and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal Korean women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have suggested that increased iron storage may promote the development of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association of serum ferritin levels with metabolic syndrome and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 280 postmenopausal women who visited the health promotion center of our hospital for a routine health checkup. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed by using the revised criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. The presence of coronary atherosclerosis was indicated by 64-row multi-detector computed tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome and coronary atherosclerosis in the highest ferritin quartile was significantly higher compared with that in the lowest quartile. Serum ferritin levels were independently associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome (adjusted odds ratio for the highest quartile versus the lowest quartile, 3.313; 95% confidence interval, 1.251-8.775) and coronary atherosclerosis (adjusted odds ratio for the highest quartile versus the lowest quartile, 3.047; 95% confidence interval, 1.026-9.051), after adjusting for confounding factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated serum ferritin levels may be associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seok Kyo
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bo Hyon
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chon
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yoo Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: E-Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: SiHyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dr222@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Byung Seok
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D056910:Republic of Korea
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins
keywords: Coronary atherosclerosis; Ferritin; Menopause; Metabolic syndrome