Journal article
Higher ferritin levels, but not serum iron or transferrin saturation, are associated with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in adult men and women free of genetic haemochromatosis
Clinical Endocrinology, Vol.82(4), pp.525-532
2014
Abstract
Context
Iron overload predisposes to diabetes and higher ferritin levels have been associated with diabetes. However, it is unclear whether ferritin reflects differences in iron-related parameters between diabetic and nondiabetic persons. We examined associations of serum ferritin, iron and transferrin saturation with Type 2 diabetes in adults without genetic predisposition to iron overload.
Design, participants and measurements
Cross-sectional analysis of community-dwelling men and women aged 17–97 years from the Busselton Health Survey, Western Australia. Men and women carrying genotypes associated with haemochromatosis (C282Y/C282Y or C282Y/H63D) were excluded. Serum ferritin, iron and transferrin saturation were assayed.
Results
There were 1834 men (122 with diabetes, 6•6%) and 2351 women (141 with diabetes, 6%). In men, higher serum ferritin was associated with diabetes after adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol, cardiovascular history, body mass index (BMI), waist, blood pressure, lipids, C-reactive protein (CRP), adiponectin, alanine transaminase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) [odds ratio (OR): 1•29 per 1 unit increase log ferritin, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1•01–1•65, P = 0•043]. In women, higher serum ferritin was associated with diabetes [fully adjusted OR: 1•31 per 1 unit increase log ferritin, 95% CI = 1•04–1•63, P = 0•020; 1•84 for tertile (T) 3 vs T1, 95% CI = 1•09–3•11]. Neither iron levels nor transferrin saturation were associated with diabetes risk in men or women. Higher ferritin was not associated with insulin resistance in nondiabetic adults.
Conclusions
In adults, higher ferritin levels are independently associated with prevalent diabetes while iron and transferrin saturation are not. Ferritin is a robust biomarker for diabetes risk, but further investigation is needed to clarify whether this relationship is mediated via iron metabolism.
Details
- Title
- Higher ferritin levels, but not serum iron or transferrin saturation, are associated with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in adult men and women free of genetic haemochromatosis
- Authors/Creators
- B.B. Yeap (Author/Creator) - The University of Western AustraliaM.L. Divitini (Author/Creator) - Fremantle HospitalJ.E. Gunton (Author/Creator) - Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchJ.K. Olynyk (Author/Creator) - Fremantle HospitalJ.P. Beilby (Author/Creator) - Sir Charles Gairdner HospitalB. McQuillan (Author/Creator) - The University of Western AustraliaJ. Hung (Author/Creator) - The University of Western AustraliaM.W. Knuiman (Author/Creator) - The University of Western Australia
- Publication Details
- Clinical Endocrinology, Vol.82(4), pp.525-532
- Publisher
- Society from Endocrinology
- Identifiers
- 991005541047507891
- Copyright
- © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
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- Citation topics
- 1 Clinical & Life Sciences
- 1.184 Physiology & Metals
- 1.184.573 Iron Metabolism
- Web Of Science research areas
- Endocrinology & Metabolism
- ESI research areas
- Clinical Medicine