Serum Ferritin in Metabolic Syndrome—Mechanisms and Clinical Applications

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of conditions including central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL cholesterol, hyperglycaemia, and hypertension with a prevalence rate of 20–25% of the world’s adult population. Metabolic syndrome is often characterized by insulin resistance, which some have suggested is a major supportive connection between physical inactivity and MS. Various studies suggest that moderately elevated iron and ferritin levels are associated with an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome and are markers of insulin resistance. Increased body iron stores are associated with the development of glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and insulin resistance syndrome (IRS). This is a hospital-based cross-sectional observational study, which was conducted in the department of internal medicine of a tertiary care hospital in northern India. The study was conducted from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2020 and included 100 patients and 100 controls. All subjects in the age group of 35–65 years were enrolled and investigated as per the study design. Metabolic syndrome patients were diagnosed according to the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel-III (NCEP ATP-III) with BMI > 23 kg/m(2). All baseline investigations were undertaken, including serum ferritin levels. Insulin resistance (IR) was calculated using the homeostasis model assessment IR (HOMA-IR) formula. We found a positive association between an increase in serum ferritin with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its clinical parameter. The serum ferritin level was positively correlated with the level of insulin resistance and inversely correlated with the insulin level of the patients.