Serum Ferritin Level is an Independent Predictor of Insulin Resistance in Non-diabetic Men Aged Between 30-69 Years: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010.
- Author:
Bo Kyung KOO
1
;
Sang Wan KIM
;
Ka Hee YI
;
Min Kyong MOON
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Ferritin; Insulin resistance; Diabetes mellitus
- MeSH: Absorptiometry, Photon; Adipose Tissue; Adult; Alanine Transaminase; Anemia; Body Mass Index; Diabetes Mellitus; Female; Ferritins*; Humans; Inflammation; Insulin Resistance*; Insulin*; Iron; Leukocyte Count; Male; Multivariate Analysis; Nutrition Surveys*; Risk Factors; Triglycerides
- From:Journal of Lipid and Atherosclerosis 2013;2(2):69-76
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: We investigated predictors of insulin resistance in Korean population from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. METHODS: Adults aged between 30-69 years without anemia were selected for the analysis. Fat mass was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and 24-hour nutritional information was obtained by interview from study subjects. Insulin resistance and beta cell function were calculated from homeostatic model assessment. RESULTS: 6,256 men and 8,003 women were included in the the study. Among participants, 9.8 (standard error [SE] 0.4) % of men and 6.8 (SE 0.4) % of women had diabetes mellitus (DM); moreover, serum ferritin level was higher in the DM patients compared to the non-DM subjects both in men and women (p<0.001). Serum ferritin levels correlated significantly with insulin resistance (age and body mass index adjusted p<0.001) in men, but not in women. Serum ferritin levels also correlated with total body fat (p=0.009), triglyceride levels (p<0.001), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (p<0.001) and leukocyte count (p<0.001), but not with iron or fat intake. Multivariate analysis showed that serum ferritin level was an independent predictor of insulin resistance even after adjusting body fat, ALT levels, triglyceride levels and leukocyte count (beta=0.027, p=0.027). Beta cell function was not associated with ferritin levels both in men and women. CONCLUSION: Elevated serum ferritin was a risk factor for DM by increasing insulin resistance rather than affecting beta cell function. Serum ferritin level was an independent predictor of insulin resistance even after adjusting body fat or systemic inflammation in men.
