title: Serum ferritin, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome: clinical and laboratory associations in 769 non-hispanic whites without diabetes mellitus in the HEIRS study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In some reports, serum ferritin (SF) has been associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied non-Hispanic whites without diabetes mellitus in a postscreening examination. Participants included cases [HFE C282Y homozygosity; and transferrin saturation (TS) >50% and SF >300 μg/L (males) and TS >45% and SF >200 μg/dL (females), regardless of HFE genotype] and controls [HFE wild-type (wt/wt) and TS/SF 25th-75th percentiles]. We excluded participants with overnight fasts <8 hr, cirrhosis, hepatitis B or C, pregnancy, or missing data. Observations were age, sex, C282Y homozygosity, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP, DBP), lymphocytes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), C-reactive protein (CRP), TS, SF, and glucose/insulin. Insulin resistance was defined as homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) 4th quartile (≥2.70).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 407 women and 362 men (mean age 54 years) included 188 C282Y homozygotes and 371 wt/wt. Significant trends across HOMA-IR quartiles included age, male sex, BMI, SBP, DBP, lymphocytes, ALT, CRP >0.5 mg/dL (positive), and TS (negative). Multiple regression on HOMA-IR revealed significant associations with male sex, BMI, SBP, lymphocytes, ALT, CRP>0.5 mg/dL (positive), and DBP and SF (negative). Logistic regression on HOMA-IR 4th quartile revealed significant positive associations with age, male sex, BMI, and lymphocytes. Metabolic syndrome occurred in 53 participants (6.9%). Logistic regression on metabolic syndrome revealed these odds ratios: HOMA-IR 4th quartile [9.1 (4.8, 17.3)] and CRP >0.5 mg/dL [2.9 (1.6, 5.4)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Age, male sex, BMI, and lymphocytes were positively associated with HOMA-IR after correction for other factors. HOMA-IR 4th quartile and CRP >0.5 mg/dL predicted metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham, Alabama.
authors.forename: Ronald T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Acton
authors.forename: J Clayborn
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barton
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D014481:United States; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins