High serum ferritin level is an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome in a Chinese male cohort population

BACKGROUND: Elevated serum ferritin levels have been reported to contribute to metabolic syndrome (MetS). We examined the association of serum ferritin levels with the development of MetS in a representative sample of Chinese male adult population. METHOD: The data came from the 2009–2013 Fangchenggang Area Males Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES). We combined a cross-sectional study of 2417 males and a longitudinal study of 857 males who participated in the FAMHES. RESULT: The serum ferritin level of MetS was higher than that of nonMetS (median and percentiles 25–75: 447.4 (294.1-612.4) vs. 302.4 (215.0-435.8) ng/ml, p < 0.01). A positive correlation between ferritin concentrations and blood pressure (Systolic BP: R = 0.110, Diastolic BP: R = 0.158), waist circumference (R = 0.333), fasting glucose (R = 0.089), triglyceride (R = 0.315) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (R = 0.130) was significant (all p < 0.001). Compared with the level of ferritin in the group with no MetS component, the group with all five MetS components had a higher ferritin level (554.7 (340.1-606.4) vs. 274.2 (198.2-384.4) ng/ml). The odd radio (OR) was higher for MetS in the highest ferritin quartile (OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.47-3.54) compared with the lowest ferritin quartile after adjustment for multi-factors. After 4-year follow up, 79 subjects newly diagnosed with MetS in 857 cohort male participants in 2013. Compared with the lowest ferritin quartile, the RR of the highest ferritin quartile was 2.55 (95% CI = 1.30-5.00) after multiple adjustments (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm that the serum ferritin level is associated with the independent components of MetS, and elevated ferritin level is an independent risk factor for MetS development in the Chinese male population during the 4-year follow-up period.