Clinical and Laboratory Associations with Persistent Hyperferritinemia in 373 Black Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study Participants

Abstract

Background: 373 black participants had elevated screening and post-screening serum ferritin (SF) (> 300 |ig/L men; > 200 |ig/L women). Material and methods: We retrospectively studied SF and post-screening age; sex; body mass index; transferrin saturation (TS); ALT; AST; GGT; elevated C-reactive protein; p-thalassemia; neutrophils; lymphocytes; monocytes; platelets; metacarpophalangeal joint hypertrophy; hepatomegaly; splenomegaly; diabetes; HFE H63D positivity; iron/alcohol intakes; and blood/ erythrocyte transfusion units. Liver disease was defined as elevated ALT or AST. We computed correlations of SF and TS with: age; body mass index; ALT; AST; GGT; C-reactive protein; blood cell counts; and iron/alcohol. We compared participants with SF > 1,000 and 1,000 |ig/L had significantly higher median TS, ALT, and AST, and prevalences of anemia and transfusion > 10 units; and lower median platelets. Regression on SF revealed significant associations: TS; male sex; age; GGT; transfusion units (positive); and splenomegaly (negative) (p 1,000 |ig/L and elevated TS had presumed primary iron overload (hemochromatosis). Four participants had transfusion iron overload. Conclusion: Persistent hyperferritinemia in 373 black adults was associated with male sex, age, TS, GGT, and transfusion. 2.4% had primary iron overload (hemochromatosis) or transfusion iron overload.

Keywords

• Alanine aminotransferase
• Aspartate aminotransferase
• γ-glutamyl transpeptidase
• Metabolic syndrome
• Transferrin saturation