Association of serum ferritin concentrations with prevalence of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome in a Chinese population from Sichuan

Body iron stores reflected by serum ferritin levels have been implicated in many chronic diseases. We investigated associations between serum ferritin concentrations and the risk of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a Chinese population. For a cross-sectional study, 3040 subjects were recruited from three communities in Sichuan. Subjects were grouped by prediabetes or T2DM status, or components of MetS. Subjects with prediabetes were classified as having impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), or both (IFG + IGT). The odds ratios, assessed by gender, for the associations between serum ferritin concentration and prediabetes, T2DM, and MetS were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. The prevalence of IGT, IFG + IGT, T2DM, and MetS in the highest quartile of ferritin concentrations was higher than those in the lowest quartile, in both genders. In women, the adjusted odds ratios of IGT, IFG + IGT, T2DM, and MetS were higher in the highest ferritin quartile than the lowest; in men, only that of IFG + IGT was higher. In both genders, high ferritin levels were associated with higher odds ratios of hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia, components of MetS. IGT, IFG + IGT, T2DM, and MetS were more common in the highest ferritin quartile for both genders. Elevated ferritin concentrations were associated with an increased risk for IGT and IFG + IGT in prediabetes, T2DM, and MetS, especially in women.