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Factors associated with serum ferritin levels and iron excess : results from the EPIC-EurGast study

Iglesias-Vázquez, Lucía ; Arija, Victoria ; Aranda, Núria ; Aglago, Elom K. ; Cross, Amanda J. ; Schulze, Matthias B. ; Quintana Pacheco, Daniel ; Kühn, Tilman ; Weiderpass, Elisabete and Tumino, Rosario , et al. (2022) In European Journal of Nutrition 61(1). p.101-114
Abstract

Purpose: Excess iron is involved in the development of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. We aimed to describe the prevalence of excess iron and its determinants in healthy European adults. Methods: Sociodemographic, lifestyle, iron status, dietary information, and HFE genotyping were obtained from controls from the nested case–control study EPIC-EurGast study. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was measured to address possible systemic inflammation. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to assess iron status and its determinants. Results: Out of the 828 participants (median age: 58.7 years), 43% were females. Median serum ferritin and prevalence of excess iron... (More)

Purpose: Excess iron is involved in the development of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. We aimed to describe the prevalence of excess iron and its determinants in healthy European adults. Methods: Sociodemographic, lifestyle, iron status, dietary information, and HFE genotyping were obtained from controls from the nested case–control study EPIC-EurGast study. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was measured to address possible systemic inflammation. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to assess iron status and its determinants. Results: Out of the 828 participants (median age: 58.7 years), 43% were females. Median serum ferritin and prevalence of excess iron were 143.7 µg/L and 35.2% in males, respectively, and 77 µg/L and 20% in females, both increasing with latitude across Europe. Prevalence of HFE C282Y mutation was significantly higher in Northern and Central Europe (~ 11%) than in the South (5%). Overweight/obesity, age, and daily alcohol and heme iron intake were independent determinants for iron status, with sex differences even after excluding participants with hsCRP > 5 mg/L. Obese males showed a greater consumption of alcohol, total and red meat, and heme iron, compared with those normal weight. Conclusion: Obesity, higher alcohol and heme iron consumption were the main risk factors for excess iron in males while only age was associated with iron overload in females. Weight control and promoting healthy lifestyle may help prevent iron overload, especially in obese people. Further research is needed to clarify determinants of excess iron in the healthy adult population, helping to reduce the associated comorbidities.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
EPIC, Excess iron, Iron overload, Iron status, Serum ferritin
in
European Journal of Nutrition
volume
61
issue
1
pages
101 - 114
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85109343680
  • pmid:34213605
ISSN
1436-6207
DOI
10.1007/s00394-021-02625-w
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
11333917-c2dd-4071-8c8f-fb36bf2a02d2
date added to LUP
2021-08-23 12:22:56
date last changed
2024-06-15 15:01:43
@article{11333917-c2dd-4071-8c8f-fb36bf2a02d2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Purpose: Excess iron is involved in the development of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular conditions. We aimed to describe the prevalence of excess iron and its determinants in healthy European adults. Methods: Sociodemographic, lifestyle, iron status, dietary information, and HFE genotyping were obtained from controls from the nested case–control study EPIC-EurGast study. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was measured to address possible systemic inflammation. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to assess iron status and its determinants. Results: Out of the 828 participants (median age: 58.7 years), 43% were females. Median serum ferritin and prevalence of excess iron were 143.7 µg/L and 35.2% in males, respectively, and 77 µg/L and 20% in females, both increasing with latitude across Europe. Prevalence of HFE C282Y mutation was significantly higher in Northern and Central Europe (~ 11%) than in the South (5%). Overweight/obesity, age, and daily alcohol and heme iron intake were independent determinants for iron status, with sex differences even after excluding participants with hsCRP &gt; 5 mg/L. Obese males showed a greater consumption of alcohol, total and red meat, and heme iron, compared with those normal weight. Conclusion: Obesity, higher alcohol and heme iron consumption were the main risk factors for excess iron in males while only age was associated with iron overload in females. Weight control and promoting healthy lifestyle may help prevent iron overload, especially in obese people. Further research is needed to clarify determinants of excess iron in the healthy adult population, helping to reduce the associated comorbidities.</p>}},
  author       = {{Iglesias-Vázquez, Lucía and Arija, Victoria and Aranda, Núria and Aglago, Elom K. and Cross, Amanda J. and Schulze, Matthias B. and Quintana Pacheco, Daniel and Kühn, Tilman and Weiderpass, Elisabete and Tumino, Rosario and Redondo-Sánchez, Daniel and de Magistris, Maria Santucci and Palli, Domenico and Ardanaz, Eva and Laouali, Nasser and Sonestedt, Emily and Drake, Isabel and Rizzolo, Lucía and Santiuste, Carmen and Sacerdote, Carlotta and Quirós, Ramón and Amiano, Pilar and Agudo, Antonio and Jakszyn, Paula}},
  issn         = {{1436-6207}},
  keywords     = {{EPIC; Excess iron; Iron overload; Iron status; Serum ferritin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{101--114}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Nutrition}},
  title        = {{Factors associated with serum ferritin levels and iron excess : results from the EPIC-EurGast study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02625-w}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00394-021-02625-w}},
  volume       = {{61}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}