title: [The normal values of gamma-glutamyltransferase are falsely defined up to now: on the diagnosis of hypertension, obesity and diabetes with reference to "normal" consumption of alcohol].
abstract: In a large sample of 1379 adult patients and, in addition, in a smaller group of 223 other patients in whom a glucose tolerance test with measurement of serum insulin was carried out, an increase of blood pressure, pulse rate, relative body weight and serum insulin was found which correlated significantly with that range of gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) values which erroneously so far is considered to be normal. The really normal range of the GGT is not up to 28 (measured at 25 degrees C), but only up to 10 U/l. Persons with GGT 9-12 U/l have a significantly higher blood pressure than persons with GGT up to 8 U/l. The relationship between blood pressure and GGT is the same in males and females although the females show a higher GGT for the same amount of alcohol consumed; in both, males and females, the steepest increase is just in the low GGT range between 9 and 25 U/l. The nature of this ethanol-effect is toxic, not caloric. Daily alcohol in "normal" ("social") amounts causes hyperinsulinemia (and thus increased sodium reabsorption in the Kidney) as well as increased catecholamine excretion. "Normal" alcohol consumption leading to hepatic steatosis as the "normal" condition of the population, has more health hazards than so for assumed. A GGT higher than 10 U/l (measured at 25 degrees C), is besides hyperinsulinemia the most sensitive test for pathologic changes of the metabolism and the cardiovascular parameters due to hepatic steatosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Backhaus
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaiserauer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wanner
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012016:Reference Values; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase
vernacular_title: GGT-Normbereich bisher falsch definiert: zur Diagnostik von Bluthochdruck, Adipositas und Diabetes infolge "normalen" Alkoholkonsums.