Relationship between indices of iron status and metabolic syndrome in an Iranian population

Introduction: Iron overload may contribute to the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MS). A growing body of evidence indicates that the oxidative stress that results from excess tissue iron can leads to insulin resistance, tissue damage, and other complications observed in MS. The objective of this study was to investigate indices of iron status including serum ferritin, iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) levels, and full blood cell count, together with demographic and anthropometric characteristics, lipid profile components, and other biochemical parameters in subjects with and with-out MS. Methods: A total of, 385 individuals (176 with and 209 subjects without MS) according to the International Diabetes Federation’s (IDF) criteria were recruited. Indices of iron status and other clinical and biochemical parameters were determined in MS patients and healthy controls using standard methods. Results: Higher serum iron and ferritin values were observed in subjects with MS in compared to healthy controls (P < 0.001). TIBC did not differ significantly between healthy controls and MS patients (P > 0.050). Among the other indices, only red blood cell (RBC) was associated considerably with the presence of MS (P < 0.050). Conclusion: Our data indicate that even in a country with a comparatively high prevalence of iron deficiency, serum iron and ferritin values in MS patients are higher than healthy controls. The reason why ferritin and iron are higher in MS patient may be related to dietary factors.