title: Gamma-glutamyltransferase, alcohol, and blood pressure. A four year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We performed this study to see: 1) whether gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) was a predictor for hypertension irrespective of amount of alcohol consumption; and 2) whether the relationship between alcohol consumption and blood pressure (BP) was different depending on GGT.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 8170 healthy male workers in a steel manufacturing company who had undergone health examinations in both 1994 and 1998.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The adjusted relative risk (RR) for hypertension over four years among those with GGT >or=30 U/L at baseline was 1.6 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-2.4), compared to those with GGT < 30 U/L. This relationship was shown only in drinkers. Among subjects with GGT < 30U/L, no matter how much the subjects drank, the risk of hypertension in drinkers was similar with that of non-drinkers. However, among those with GGT >or=30 U/L, adjusted RRs for light, moderate, and heavy drinkers compared to non-drinkers were 1.4 (95% CI: 0.5-4.5), 5.2 (95% CI: 1.5-18.0), and 5.3 (95% CI: 1.0-27.6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that elevated GGT could be a predictor for hypertension in drinkers and the relationship between alcohol consumption and hypertension was shown only among those with GGT >or= 30 U/L at baseline. These findings suggest that increased serum GGT levels may reflect individual susceptibility to the blood pressure raising effect of alcohol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Kosin University, Pusan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Duk-Hee
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myung-Hwa
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Jang-Rak
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015994:Incidence; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase