The Relationship between Serum Ferritin Concentrations, Smoking and Lung Function in Korean / 결핵및호흡기질환

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoke induced release of iron could alter iron metabolism in the lungs of chronic smokers and contribute to the increase in the total oxidative burden on the lungs of smokers. In previous studies, ferritin levels of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in smokers were elevated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between serum ferritin concentration, smoking and lung function in Korean people. METHODS: This study was based on the data acquired in the second year (2008) of the Forth National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that was conducted from 2007 to 2009. The analysis included 2,244 subjects who were older than 20 years and had complete data from both lung function test and serum ferritin concentration. Among participants, 1,076 were male and 1,168 were female. RESULTS: Mean serum ferritin concentrations in males were 120.3+/-80.1 microg/L and 47.9+/-39.8 microg/L in females. There were no differences in serum ferritin concentrations between non-smokers and smokers after adjusting for age, body mass index, and amounts of alcohol. Serum ferritin concentrations were associated with smoking amounts by simple linear regression but not associated with smoking amounts after adjustment with age, body mass index, and amounts of alcohol in both males and females. Lung function was not associated with serum ferritin concentrations. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that serum ferritin concentrations are not related with smoking and lung function.