Shaina Gakhar1, Manish Chandey2, Gurinder Mohan3
BACKGROUND
India is leading the world in incidence, prevalence, complications and mortality
due to coronary artery disease (CAD). Various risk factors for acute coronary
syndrome (ACS) are diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, smoking and obesity.
It has been proposed that high serum ferritin levels are associated with
enhancement in myocardial ischaemic response along with decreased ischaemic
threshold in the setting up of acute ischaemic conditions. In this study, we wanted
to measure and compare serum ferritin levels in patients of acute coronary
syndrome and healthy controls to know the association between serum ferritin
levels and risk of acute coronary syndrome.
METHODS
60 patients of acute coronary syndrome admitted at Sri Guru Ram Das Hospital,
Vallah Sri Amritsar were taken as cases and 60 age and sex matched healthy
controls were taken. Serum ferritin levels were measured in both the cases and
controls and were compared.
RESULTS
Most of the patients of ACS were in the age group of 51 - 60 years. Hypertension
was the most common risk factor observed followed by diabetes mellitus (DM).
Mean serum cholesterol levels were higher in cases. The most common vessel
involved in ACS was left anterior descending artery (LAD). The difference in mean
serum ferritin levels of cases and controls was statistically significant with higher
levels in cases as compared to controls. These patients also had higher risk of
developing heart failure and had a longer hospital stay.
CONCLUSIONS
The difference between serum ferritin levels in cases of ACS and controls was
statistically significant. People with raised serum ferritin levels are at a greater risk
of developing ACS as compared to those with normal serum ferritin levels.
