Association Between High Serum Ferritin Levels and Carotid Atherosclerosis in the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)

Wolff, Birger; Völzke, Henry; Lüdemann, Jan; Robinson, Daniel; Vogelgesang, Dirk; Staudt, Alexander; Kessler, Christof; Dahm, Johannes B.; John, Ulrich; Felix, Stephan B.

doi:10.1161/01.str.0000114875.31599.1c

Cited by 108Iron Metabolism and DisordersCardiovascular Health and Disease PreventionCerebrovascular and Carotid Artery Diseases

Association Between High Serum Ferritin Levels and Carotid Atherosclerosis in the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)

Wolff, Birger, Völzke, Henry, Lüdemann, Jan, Robinson, Daniel, Vogelgesang, Dirk, Staudt, Alexander, Kessler, Christof, Dahm, Johannes B. +2 more·2004·Stroke

DOI 10.1161/01.str.0000114875.31599.1c

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Abstract

Background and Purpose— Several studies have provided evidence for a relationship between body iron load and cardiovascular disease. We analyzed the association of serum ferritin levels with carotid atherosclerosis. Methods— We assessed intima-media thickness and plaque prevalence in the carotid arteries by high-resolution ultrasound among 2443 participants (1200 women; age, 45 to 79 years) in the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP), a population-based study in northeast Germany. Results— In multivariate analysis, serum ferritin levels were not independently associated with carotid intima-media thickness among women or men. In contrast, the relationship between serum ferritin levels and carotid plaque prevalence was significant among men (odds ratio per 1-SD increase of serum ferritin levels, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.08 to 1.44) yet not among women (odds ratio, 1.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.98 to 1.75). However, both men and women showed a dose-response relation between serum ferritin levels and carotid atherosclerosis in which higher serum ferritin levels were associated with greater odds ratios for carotid plaque prevalence. Additionally, there was an interaction of serum ferritin levels with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol ( P =0.039) among men in which the association of serum ferritin levels with carotid plaque prevalence became stronger with increasing LDL cholesterol levels. Conclusions— Our study identified a relationship between serum ferritin levels and carotid atherosclerosis that was potentiated by LDL cholesterol. This relationship adds support to the hypothesis of a link between iron and cardiovascular disease.

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Authors: Wolff, B., Völzke, H., Lüdemann, J., Robinson, D., Vogelgesang, D., Staudt, A., Kessler, C., Dahm, J. B., John, U., & Felix, S. B.
Affiliations: Universitätsmedizin Greifswald (DE)
From Klinik für Innere Medizin B (B.W., D.R., D.V., A.S., J.B.D., S.B.F.), Institut für Epidemiologie und Sozialmedizin (H.V., U.J.), Institut für Klinische Chemie (J.L.), and Klinik für Neurologie (C.K.), Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
ORCID: Dahm, Johannes B.
John, Ulrich
Felix, Stephan B.
Venue: Stroke
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published: 2004-02
Volume: 35
Issue: 2
Pages: 453-457
ISSN: 0039-2499 (ISSN-L)
1524-4628
DOI: 10.1161/01.str.0000114875.31599.1c
OpenAlex: W2131601303
Cited by: 108
References: 29
Citations by year: 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 6
FWCI: 5.64
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Stroke (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Iron Metabolism and Disorders
Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Disease Prevention
Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Cerebrovascular and Carotid Artery Diseases
Keywords: serum ferritin, carotid atherosclerosis, carotid intima-media thickness, iron overload, LDL cholesterol, sex differences, dose-response relationship, cardiovascular disease, Study of Health in Pomerania
MeSH terms: Aged, Carotid Arteries, Carotid Artery Diseases, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Ferritins, Germany, Health Surveys, Humans, Cholesterol, LDL, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Sex Factors, Ultrasonography, Prevalence, Multivariate Analysis, Odds Ratio, Tunica Intima, Tunica Media, Sex Distribution

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Association Between High Serum Ferritin Levels and Carotid Atherosclerosis in the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)

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