Iron deposits are associated with
lipid phenotype in familial
hypertriglyceridemias, mainly
familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCH) and
familial hypertriglyceridemia (FHTG). In turn, diet plays an important role in
hypertriglyceridemias although it is not known if dietary patterns are associated with
iron concentration in these disorders. The objective was to determine the relationship between diet and
iron deposits, measured through serum
ferritin concentration, in patients with FCH and FHTG. The study was composed of 140 patients, 107 with FCH and 33 with FHTG. Subjects completed a validated 137-item food frequency questionnaire. Dividing subjects by
ferritin tertiles adjusted by sex, there were no significant differences in dietary patterns except in dairy products consumption which was lower in the highest
ferritin tertile. Subjects were also divided by
triglycerides tertiles adjusted by sex. Those subjects in the highest tertile had lower
HDL cholesterol and higher
ferritin concentrations. Regarding to dietary parameters, there were significant differences in marine omega three
fatty acids and vegetables presenting higher and lower consumption, respectively, those patients in the highest tertile of
triglycerides. Moreover, there was not a significant correlation between
dietary iron intake and any parameter, both biochemical and dietary, including
ferritin concentrations. In conclusion, in patients with primary
hypertriglyceridemia,
triglycerides are associated with
ferritin concentrations but dietary patterns are not related to
iron deposits. Our results highly support the concept that the genetic mechanisms driven to
hypertriglyceridemia also favor
iron overload.