Plasma ferritin levels in acute myocardial infarction

Abstract

Free iron catalyzes free radical production, which generates a range of potent ox idants that can induce oxidation of lipids. As serum ferritin partially reflects the iron stores in the body, high ferritin level is postulated to reflect a state of increased free radical generation. Our study suggested that high ferritin levels must be atherogenic and pos-sibly explain partially the sex difference in the incidence of Ischémie Heart Disease (IHD). In this study Iron Binding Capacity (IBC), ferritin and serum iron levels in 53 patients (40 male, 13 female) with Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) are compared to those found in the control group (n=24; 12 male, 12 female). The site of AMI was anterior wall in 34 and inferior wall in 19 patients (Forty of the patients and twelve of the control group were male). The results of the two groups are compared according to sex. The serum feritin levels of forty male patients with AMI were higher than those of male controls (p0.05). In female patients with AMI serum iron and ferritin levels were higher than those of female controls. This was not also statistically significant (p>0.05). In female patients serum IBC was lower than the control group and the difference was statistically significant (p