A study of iron status in patients with coronary atherosclerosis

Background: It has been demonstrated that free oxygen radicals have a close interaction with lipid peroxidation, causing a modification of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and facilitating LDL deposition, with the consequent formation of atherosclerosis plaques. Free radical production is catalyzed and accelerated in the presence of iron. This study was conducted to evaluate the possible association between body iron status and coronary artery disease (CAD), confirmed by coronary angiography, in Tabriz Shahid Madani Heart Center. Materials and methods: Two hundred and forty-one patients (182 males and 59 females) ages 40-77 years who referred for coronary angiography were selected and examined. One hundred and sixty-eight of the patients (134 males and 34 females) had coronary atherosclerosis (with CAD), and seventy-three of them (48 males and 25 females) had no coronary atherosclerosis (CAD). Both groups were matched for age and sex. Major risk factors for CAD—including age, sex, serum lipids, obesity, smoking, and blood pressure—were evaluated. Serum ferritin, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and transferrin saturation (as indices of iron stores/serum iron status) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured by standard methods. Results: In males with CAD, the mean of TIBC was significantly lower than that of males without CAD (P<0.05). The means of the other iron indices in males with CAD were higher than those in males without CAD, but the differences were not significant. No significant differences were noticed in iron indices between the two groups of females. A significant positive correlation was observed between age and ferritin in females (r=0.261, P=0.05). An analysis of the total population showed significant positive correlations between serum ferritin and triglycerides (r=0.196, P=0.01), and serum iron and triglycerides (r=0.239, P=0.01). Conclusions: Because the mean of TIBC for male patients with CAD was significantly lower than the mean of ITBC for males without CAD, it was concluded that the iron status of arteries may have a role in atherosclerosis in males patients.