RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SERUM IRON AND HDL-CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IN HYPERLIPIDEMIC PATIENTS

Background and Aim: As iron status has been related to an increased ri sk of cardiovascular disease in some studies, we decided to analyse th e relationship of serum iron and transferrin saturation with LDL- and HDL-cholesterol in 406 male patients aged 21-77 years. Methods and Res ults: The subjects, referred for hyperlipidaemia, were free of cardiov ascular disease. Mean (SD) serum iron and transferrin saturation in th e whole study population were respectively 18.4 (5.1) mu mol L-1 and 2 5.4 (8.1)%. The two parameters were highly correlated (r=0.87). Mean ( SD) serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholest erol were respectively 6.72 (1.32), 1.19 (0.28) and 4.72 (1.29) mmol L -1. No correlation between iron status and LDL-cholesterol was found. Conversely, there was a significant positive correlation between serum iron and HDL-cholesterol (r=0.17, p < 0.001) as well as apolipoprotei n Al (r=0.16, p < 0.001). This relationship could not be explained by the following confounding factors: age, triglycerides, body mass index and alcohol intake. Conclusions: The finding of a positive relationsh ip between serum iron and HDL-cholesterol adds new insight to the cont roversy about iron as a risk factor in cardiovascular disease. (C) 199 8, Medikal Press.