Failure to confirm ferritin and caeruloplasmin as risk factors for the angiographic extent of coronary arteriosclerosis

Background It has been suggested that iron overload, as assessed by increased serum ferritin concentration, may be a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Recent studies have reported conflicting data on the role of ferritin and other parameters of oxidative metabolism in CAD, Objective The aim of this study was to assess the relation between the extent of CAD and parameters of oxidation. Methods We studied 275 patients (208 men aged 55.1 +/- 9.6 years and 67 women aged 54.6 +/- 10.0 years) who underwent coronary angiography or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for the first time. The parameters assessed were: iron, ferritin, transferrin, copper, caeruloplasmin and lipid. Cinefilms were assessed by the use of three scores: (1) Vessel score: 0-3 points; 1 point for each of the three main coronary arteries with a stenosis >70%. (2) Stenosis score: 0-32 points; the coronary artery tree was divided into eight segments that were scored 1-4 points per segment with respect to the maximal degree of stenosis, (3) Extent score: 0-100 points; extent of diffuse coronary lesions in each segment in relation to the length of the vessel. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the results. Results Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P< 0.001) in women, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.05) in men, and patient age showed a significant correlation with all three scores, but none of the parameters of oxidative metabolism (iron, transferrin, ferritin, copper, caeruloplasmin) correlated significantly with any of the three scores. Conclusion This study demonstrated a correlation between lipoproteins and the angiographic extent of CAD, but did not confirm a role for serum ferritin and other oxidative parameters as risk factors for the extent of CAD. Coronary Artery Dis 9:119-124 (C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers.