Prevalence of body iron excess in the metabolic syndrome.

The metabolic syndrome, clinically defined by the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) (1), affects 25% of western adults (2). The metabolic syndrome is closely linked to insulin resist ance and impl i e s an increased cardiovascular risk (3,4). Accumulating evidence suggests a link between body iron excess and insulin metabolism (5). Studies have shown an association between serum ferritin and one or more metabolic syndrome feature (6 –11). Moreover, a syndrome characterized by hepatic iron overload (HIO) associated with insulin resistance features (insulin resistance–associated HIO [IR-HIO]), unrelated to genetic hemochromatosis, has been described (12,13). IR-HIO currently represents the most frequent indication to venesection in referral care units for iron overload (14). Data on the other side of the phenomenon, namely the prevalence of a potentially relevant iron overload in subjects selected for having metabolic syndrome, are scanty.