Association between γ-Glutamyltransferase, Adiponectin and Arterial Stiffness

Abstract

Aim: Serum -glutamyltransferase (GGT) is used as a marker of hepatic dysfunction. Recently, several studies reported that GGT is significantly associated with cardiovascular mortality and atherosclerosis. Adiponectin is known to play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis, but its physiologic role has yet to be fully determined. In this study, we investigated the relationships among serum GGT, adiponectin and arterial stiffness. Methods: Of 4236 subjects recruited from 17 different medical centers in Seoul, Korea, 2846 subjects were enrolled in our study. The parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS) were assessed in these subjects, and their plasma adiponectin levels and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured along with anthropometric and biochemical profiles, including GGT. Results: The subjects were stratified into 3 groups according to GGT values. PWV values gradually increased and the adiponectin level decreased with GGT tertiles. Aortic PWV showed a significant correlation with age, SBP, FPG, but there was no correlation among aortic PWV, GGT and adiponectin. Peripheral PWV demonstrated a significant correlation with age, SBP, DBP, BMI, WC, FPG and GGT, but there was no correlation between peripheral PWV and adiponectin. In multiple logistic regression analysis after adjusting for risk factors, GGT was a significant contributor to increased peripheral PWV. Conclusions: These findings indicate that serum GGT is independently associated with increased arterial stiffness, but there was no correlation between adiponectin and arterial stiffness in both males and females. J Atheroscler Thromb, 2012; 19:90-97.

Dose-Response Relationship Between Serum ^|^gamma;-Glutamyltransferase and Arterial Stiffness in Korean Adults: The Namwon Study

“…14 A recent study found that serum GGT was independently associated with increased peripheral PWV in both sexes: among participants in the highest GGT tertile, the OR (95% CI) for high peripheral PWV was 1.87 (1.31–2.62) for men and 2.41 (1.39–4.62) for women. 15 Although the present participants were older than those in other studies, 14 , 15 serum GGT was positively associated with high baPWV among men and women, as was the case in other recent studies. The ORs for high baPWV were higher among men than among women; however, we found no sex difference in the association.…”

“…16 However, 2 recent epidemiologic studies reported a significant association between serum GGT and PWV in both sexes. 14 , 15 The multivariate-adjusted ORs for the highest versus the lowest GGT quartiles were 1.63 (95% CI, 1.21–2.20) in men and 1.56 (1.08–2.27) in women, indicating no sex difference in the association between serum GGT and baPWV. 14 A recent study found that serum GGT was independently associated with increased peripheral PWV in both sexes: among participants in the highest GGT tertile, the OR (95% CI) for high peripheral PWV was 1.87 (1.31–2.62) for men and 2.41 (1.39–4.62) for women.…”

Relation of plasma adiponectin levels and aortic stiffness after acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

“…8 In this study cohort, adiponectin levels were significantly influenced by age and sex, which is in line with other trials reporting higher levels of plasma adiponectin in the elderly and women. 11,31,33 Current smokers displayed lower levels of adiponectin compared with nonsmokers. Such an association has been described in some 11 but not all studies.…”

Circulating Adiponectin Levels and their Associated Factors in Young Lean Healthy Japanese Women

“…In this specified study population, we successfully eliminated the influence of age, and even that of adiposity, on adiponectin levels. Although adiponectin levels are reported to be associated with various health disorders [26][27][28][29][30][31][32] , it has been pointed out that their levels vary not only among ethnic groups [33][34][35] but also age groups 10,16) . It seems of clinical importance to evaluate their distribution with respect to each age group of a specific ethnic population.…”