High serum ferritin level is an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome in a Chinese male cohort population.
BACKGROUND
Elevated serum ferritin levels have been reported to contribute to metabolic syndrome (MetS). We examined the association of serum ferritin levels with the development of MetS in a representative sample of Chinese male adult population.


METHODS
The data came from the 2009-2013 Fangchenggang Area Males Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES). We combined a cross-sectional study of 2417 males and a longitudinal study of 857 males who participated in the FAMHES.


RESULTS
The serum ferritin level of MetS was higher than that of nonMetS (median and percentiles 25-75: 447.4 (294.1-612.4) vs. 302.4 (215.0-435.8) ng/ml, p < 0.01). A positive correlation between ferritin concentrations and blood pressure (Systolic BP: R = 0.110, Diastolic BP: R = 0.158), waist circumference (R = 0.333), fasting glucose (R = 0.089), triglyceride (R = 0.315) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (R = 0.130) was significant (all p < 0.001). Compared with the level of ferritin in the group with no MetS component, the group with all five MetS components had a higher ferritin level (554.7 (340.1-606.4) vs. 274.2 (198.2-384.4) ng/ml). The odd radio (OR) was higher for MetS in the highest ferritin quartile (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.47-3.54) compared with the lowest ferritin quartile after adjustment for multi-factors. After 4-year follow up, 79 subjects newly diagnosed with MetS in 857 cohort male participants in 2013. Compared with the lowest ferritin quartile, the RR of the highest ferritin quartile was 2.55 (95% CI = 1.30-5.00) after multiple adjustments (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings confirm that the serum ferritin level is associated with the independent components of MetS, and elevated ferritin level is an independent risk factor for MetS development in the Chinese male population during the 4-year follow-up period.
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Key Laboratory of Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Qin
Q
Tang
Hematology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi China.
Zhenfang
Z
Liu
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Key Laboratory of Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Yan
Y
Tang
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Department of Chemotherapy, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Aihua
A
Tan
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Yong
Y
Gao
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Institute of Urology and Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Zheng
Z
Lu
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Key Laboratory of Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Qiuyan
Q
Wang
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Key Laboratory of Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Yingchun
Y
Chen
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Chunlei
C
Wu
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Haiying
H
Zhang
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Key Laboratory of Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Xiaobo
X
Yang
Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Key Laboratory of Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.|Institute of Urology and Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021 China.
Zengnan
Z
Mo
Central obesity; High-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Hypertension; Metabolic syndrome; Serum ferritin; Triglycerides