title: Serum ferritin is associated with carotid atherosclerotic plaques but not intima-media Thickness in patients with abnormal glucose metabolism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the association between serum ferritin and carotid artery lesions in populations with abnormal glucose metabolism.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 70 participants with abnormal glucose metabolism and 170 participants with normal glucose metabolism and measured their baseline serum ferritin levels. During follow-up carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaque were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum ferritin levels were higher in the participants with abnormal glucose metabolism (p<0.01). We further divided the patients with abnormal glucose metabolism into subgroups with and without intima-media proliferation, and found that ferritin was excluded from the final equation in the logistic regression. Furthermore, age, waist circumference, ferritin, 2h-PG, and total cholesterol were significantly different between the subgroups with and without carotid plaque. When the above data were included in a logistic regression model, the p values obtained for age, ferritin, and 2h-PG were 0.004, 0.032, and 0.011, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the Chinese population, serum ferritin levels are significantly increased in patients with abnormal glucose metabolism. The carotid intima-media thickness showed no independent relationship with serum ferritin in patients with abnormal glucose metabolism. However, high serum ferritin is an important risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis in these patients.
authors: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors: F L
authors: FL
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Gao
authors: Laboratory of Endocrinology and Metabolism, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Tian
authors: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors: F F
authors: FF
authors: Yan
authors: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Chen
authors: First People's Hospital of Longquanyi District, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Zhong
authors: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: hmtian666@163.com.
authors: H M
authors: HM
authors: Tian
mesh_terms: D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins; D005947:Glucose
keywords: Carotid atherosclerosis; Glucose metabolism; Intima-media thickness; Serum ferritin