Association of ferritin and lipids with C-reactive protein

C-reactive protein (CRP) and lipids (e.g., low-density lipoprotein [LDL]) are both markers of cardiovascular disease risk, yet they are-not highly correlated. Oxidative stress of lipids induced by iron may play a role in vascular inflammation, as indicated by CRP. The purpose of this study was to examine, in a representative sample of United States adults, the relation between ferritin, lipids, and CRP. We analyzed data on adults (aged :25 years) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, a national public-use data set collected between 1988 and 1994. Ferritin, total cholesterol, LDL, high-density lipoprotein, and ferritin-lipid combinations were analyzed in relation to CRP in age-, gender-, and race-adjusted models as well as models with other potential confounding variables. In adjusted models, neither elevated ferritin (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94 to 1.32) nor elevated LDL was significantly associated with elevated CRP (OR 1.03, 95% Cl 0.79 to 1.33). Patients with elevated ferritin and elevated LDL were more likely to have elevated CRP (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.68). Patients with elevated ferritin and low high-density lipoprotein were also more likely to have-elevated CRP (OR 1.71; 95% CI 1.28 to 2.27). These results suggest that both iron and lipids induce inflammation. Future research needs to focus on Preventive medicine to decrease iron in patients with elevated lipids. (C)2004 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.