Body iron stores in middle-aged patients with DM and obesity

Dear Editor,

We would like to discuss on the publication on “Body iron stores in middle-aged patients with DM and obesity).[1]” Gupta et al., concluded that “ iron stores are increased in obesity and diabetes” and noted that serum ferritin “may not be a strong risk factor in the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes in middle aged North Indians.[1]” As Gupta et al., noted, their results is discordant with the reports from the Western. In fact, there are many factors that can affect the body iron stores and the important condition that is common in South and Southeast Asia is the underlying thalassemia and hemoglobin disorder.[2] High body iron stores can be seen in carrier of thalassemia and hemoglobin disorder.[2] In the present report, Gupta et al., did not rule out the underlying thalassemia and hemoglobin disorder, hence, this might be the explanation for their interesting observation.