The Association Between METS-IR and Serum Ferritin Level in United States Female: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on NHANES
Han Hao, Yan Chen, Xiaojuan Ji, Zhang Siqi, Chu Hailiang, Xiaoxing Sun, Wang Qikai, Xing Mingquan, Feng Jiangzhou, Ge Hongfeng
Abstract
Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR) and serum ferritin in females from the United States. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study with 4,182 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We used METS-IR and serum ferritin as the independent and dependent variables in this study and investigated the relationship by using multiple linear regression and verified the non-linear relationship with a smooth curve fit and threshold effect model. Results There was a positive relationship between METS-IR and serum ferritin, with an effect value of (β = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.14–0.44) in a fully adjusted model adjusted for potential confounders. This positive correlation became more significant as METS-IR increased (p for trend < 0.001). Subsequent subgroup analyses showed that sensitive cohorts were those aged ≥40 years, black, and with a body mass index (BMI) < 24.9 kg/m 2 . In a smoothed curve fit analysis, the correlation between METS-IR and serum ferritin was a straight linear relationship in all participants included in this study, but when stratified by age, race, and BMI, this positive correlation in the participants who were aged ≥40 years old, other race, and had a BMI < 24.9 kg/m 2 was non-linear. Conclusions There was a positive association between METS-IR and serum ferritin in United States females, and this positive association was more pronounced in participants aged ≥40 years, black race and BMI < 24.9 kg/m 2 . This positive association was non-linear in the subgroups aged ≥40 years, white race and BMI < 24.9 kg/m 2 , with inflection points for METS-IR of 69.97, 67.84 and 35.84 in these respective subgroups.