Association of Elevated Serum Ferritin with Low-Grade Chronic Inflammation Among Metabolically Obese Normal-Weight Individuals
Serum Ferritin and Low-Grade Inflammation in MONW Adults
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69750/dmls.01.10.042Keywords:
Serum ferritin, MONW, inflammation, hs-CRP, IL-6, insulin resistanceAbstract
Background: Metabolically obese normal-weight (MONW) individuals show metabolic abnormalities despite having normal BMI. Chronic low-grade inflammation is a key feature of this phenotype, and serum ferritin an iron-storage protein and acute-phase reactant may serve as an early biomarker of subclinical inflammation.
Objective: To assess the association between elevated serum ferritin levels and low-grade chronic inflammation among MONW individuals.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Shaikh Zayed Medical Complex, Lahore, from January 2022 to January 2023. Seventy adults aged 20–50 years with normal BMI (18.5–24.9 kg/m²) were included. Participants were categorized into MONW and metabolically healthy normal-weight groups based on metabolic markers. Anthropometric data, lipid profile, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, serum ferritin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. Ethical approval was granted (Ref: SZMC/IRB/2021/447). Statistical analysis included t-tests, Pearson correlations, and regression analysis.
Results: MONW individuals had significantly higher serum ferritin, hs-CRP, IL-6, triglycerides, and HOMA-IR compared with controls (p<0.001). Ferritin correlated strongly with hs-CRP (r=0.61), IL-6 (r=0.54), and moderately with HOMA-IR (r=0.49). Regression analysis confirmed ferritin as an independent predictor of low-grade chronic inflammation.
Conclusion: Elevated serum ferritin is strongly associated with inflammatory and metabolic abnormalities in MONW individuals. Ferritin may serve as a simple, accessible biomarker for early detection of metabolic risk among normal-weight adults. Its routine evaluation can help identify high-risk individuals who may otherwise remain unrecognized.
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