Abstract

We sought to examine the relationship between elevated transferrin saturation (TS) and measures of health status (telomere length and patient-reported health-related quality of life) to assess whether elevated TS is associated with negative patient outcomes beyond increased risk for morbidity and mortality, using a cross-sectional analysis of the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study supplemented with assays for leukocyte telomere length in adults ≥25 years old (n = 669). Among individuals with elevated TS (≥45 % for women and ≥50 % for men), who also had a usual source of care, only 5.2 % reported ever being told by a doctor that they had an elevated iron condition. In a fully adjusted general linear regression model controlling for demographic characteristics as well as health conditions associated with iron overload, elevated TS versus non-elevated TS was associated with worse general health status (60.4 vs. 63.8, P < 0.05), mental health status (76.5 vs. 82.2, P < 0.0001) and shorter telomere length (241.4 vs. 261.3, P < 0.05). Increased surveillance of elevated TS may be in order as elevated TS is associated with decreased health status and very few patients with elevated TS are aware of their condition.