Serum ferritin level is higher in poorly controlled patients with Type2 diabetes and people without diabetes, aged over 55years

Aims Diabetes mellitus has been increasing in Mongolia. There is also growing concern about the relationship between iron stores and the severity of Type2 diabetes. In this study, we aimed to evaluate serum ferritin level among Mongolian individuals with and without diabetes. Methods Of 254 participants, a total of 99 previously diagnosed patients with Type2 diabetes and the same numbers of subjects without diabetes were enrolled and invited to a physical examination (BMI, central obesity, blood pressure) and fasting blood tests (fasting blood glucose, HbA(1c), serum ferritin, C-reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transferase). Results Serum ferritin was higher in the patients with Type2 diabetes compared with the control group without diabetes, with a significant difference in the female groups (341.6 +/- 67.2 and 159.1 +/- 36.8ng/ml respectively, P=0.019). Of the patients with Type2 diabetes, 43.4% had hyperferritinaemia, and 21.2% of the individuals without diabetes had hyperferritinaemia. In the group with Type2 diabetes, serum ferritin level was significantly higher in the group of women whose HbA(1c) was >= 53mmol/mol (7.0%) compared with the other group of women whose HbA(1c) was <53mmol/mol (7.0%) (562.1 +/- 122.1 and 220.5 +/- 78.7ng/ml respectively, P=0.025). We also found that the subjects without diabetes, aged over 55years, are at risk of increased serum ferritin. Conclusion Poorly controlled patients with Type2 diabetes and people without diabetes of over 55years of age are likely to be at a higher risk of developing hyperferritinaemia. Thus, regular assessments of serum ferritin might be important for those who are at risk of hyperferritnaemia for prevention and an early intervention.