title: Relationship between serum ferritin level and blood mercury concentration using data from the Korean national health and nutrition examination survey (2010-2012).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies on the association between serum ferritin levels (S-Ft) and blood mercury concentrations (B-Hg) are scarce. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between these two parameters using a large-scale nationwide representative sample of the Korean males.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the relationship between S-Ft and B-Hg in 2832 men over 19 years of age (aged 20-87 years), using data from the 2010-2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for high B-Hg (>75th percentile) were calculated across S-Ft quartiles using multiple logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean values of B-Hg gradually increased in accordance with the quartiles of S-Ft (P-trend<0.001). The odds ratio (95% CI) for high B-Hg with the doubling of S-Ft was 1.51 (1.25-1.84) after adjusting for age, fish/shellfish consumption, rice consumption, waist circumference, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, regular exercise, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Compared with the lowest quartiles of B-Hg, the ORs (95% CI) for high S-Ft in the 3rd and 4th quartiles were 2.09 (1.17-3.73) and 2.73 (1.55-4.79) after adjusting for the same co-variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a positive relationship between S-Ft and B-Hg in a representative population sample of Korean adult men. Our results suggested S-Ft as a tool for environmental Hg exposure assessment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University Yongin Severance Hospital, Yongin, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, 1198 Guwoldong, Namdong-gu, Incheon 405-760, South Korea. Electronic address: spfe0211@gmail.com.
authors.forename: In Cheol
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004032:Diet; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D015444:Exercise; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D016017:Odds Ratio; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012907:Smoking; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D005293:Ferritins; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Ferritins; Mercury; Oxidative stress