Coronary heart disease and iron status: meta-analyses of prospective studies

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#coronary-disease #diet #ferritins #humans #iron

Coronary heart disease and iron status: meta-analyses of prospective studies

Danesh et al., 1999 | Circulation | Meta Analysis

Citation

Danesh J, Appleby P. Coronary heart disease and iron status: meta-analyses of prospective studies. Circulation. 1999-Feb-23;99(7):852-4

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Studies of iron status and coronary heart disease (CHD) have yielded conflicting results. In a systematic review ("meta-analysis"), we quantitatively assessed epidemiological associations reported in prospective studies. METHODS AND RESULTS: Studies were identified by computer-assisted searches of the published literature, scanning of relevant reference lists, hand searching of relevant journals, and discussions with relevant authors. The following was abstracted: size and type of cohort, mean age, mean duration of follow-up, assay methods, degree of adjustment for confounders, and relationship of CHD risk to the baseline assay results. Twelve studies were identified, involving a total of 7800 CHD cases, with several reporting on >1 marker of iron status. For serum ferritin, with 570 CHD cases in 5 studies, comparison of individuals with baseline values >/=200 versus <200 microg/L yielded a combined risk ratio of 1.0 (95% CI, 0.8 to 1.3). For transferrin saturation, with 6194 CHD cases in 5 studies, comparison of individuals in the top third with those in the bottom third of the baseline measurements yielded a combined risk ratio of 0.9 (95% CI, 0.7 to 1.1). Comparisons of individuals in top and bottom thirds of baseline measurements also yielded nonsignificant risk ratios in combined analyses of studies involving total iron-binding capacity (combined risk ratio, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.7 to 1.5), serum iron (0.8; 95% CI, 0.7 to 1.0), and total dietary iron (0.8; 95% CI, 0.7 to 1.1). CONCLUSIONS: Published prospective studies do not provide good evidence to support the existence of strong epidemiological associations between iron status and CHD.

Key Findings

Studies were identified by computer-assisted searches of the published literature, scanning of relevant reference lists, hand searching of relevant journals, and discussions with relevant authors. The following was abstracted: size and type of cohort, mean age, mean duration of follow-up, assay methods, degree of adjustment for confounders, and relationship of CHD risk to the baseline assay results. Twelve studies were identified, involving a total of 7800 CHD cases, with several reporting on >1

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population baseline values
Sample Size 5
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Coronary Disease
  • Diet
  • Ferritins
  • Humans
  • Iron
  • Prospective Studies
  • Transferrin

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: iron

Provenance

  • PMID: 10027804
  • DOI: (not available)
  • PMCID: Not in PMC
  • Verified: 2026-04-09 via PubMed E-utilities API

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09