Iron stores and HFE genotypes are not related to increased risk of first-time myocardial infarction A prospective nested case-referent study

Objectives: Our objectives were to study the relationship between iron stores, HFE genotypes and the risk for first-ever myocardial infarction. Methods: First-ever myocardial infarction cases (n=618) and double matched referents from the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Cohort Study were studied in a prospective nested case-referent setting. Plasma iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin iron saturation and ferritin were analyzed, as well as several confounders. HFE C282Y and H63D genotypes were determined. Results: There was an inverse risk association for myocardial infarction in the highest quartiles of iron (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.48-0.96) and transferrin iron saturation (OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.42-0.89) in men. This association, however, was lost after adjusting for C-reactive protein. Women homozygous for H63D had a higher risk for myocardial infarction. Conclusions: No risk association between high iron stores and first-ever myocardial infarction was found. The higher risk in female H63D homozygotes is probably not related to iron metabolism. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.