THE RELATIONSHIP OF BODY IRON STORES AND OXIDATIVE STRESSMARKERS RELATED TO ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVEAGE

Background: elevated body iron stores have been suggested to be a risk factor for cardiovasculardisease (cvd). we examined whether elevated plasma ferritin concentrations as an indicatorof iron stores would affect the oxidative stress markers in women of reproductive age.methods: one hundred sixty, women, aged20-45 years, were selected randomly. sampleshad no proven heart disease. demographic data were gathered using check lists and face-to-faceinterviews. we investigated body iron stores by measuring the concentrations of plasma ferritin.furthermore, we assessed oxidative stress markers by measuring the concentrations of plasmamalondialdehyde (mda) and activities of erythrocyte cytoprotective enzymes.results: subjects in the highest tertile of plasma ferritin presented the highest levels ofplasma mda (p<0.05). those in the highest tertile of plasma ferritin had also the highest meanvalues of cat activity (p<0.05). furthermore, subjects in the highest tertile of plasma ferritinpresented the lowest levels of cuzn-sod activity (p<0.05). those in the highest tertile of plasmaferritin had also the lowest gpx activity but differences were not statistically significant. plasmaferritin was significantly directly associated with plasma mda levels and inversely associatedwith cuzn-sod activity. plasma ferritin levels was positively correlated with mda levels and inverselycorrelated with cuzn-sod activity. no associations were found between the tertile ofplasma ferritin in gpx activity.conclusion: our findings revealed an association between body iron stores and oxidativestress markers linked to atherosclerosis process. the results are also in agreement with the conceptthat iron overload would elevate the risk of coronary artery disease by promoting the lipidperoxidation.