title: Clinical importance of gamma glutamyltransferase in the Ankara-Pursaklar region of Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to determine the etiologies of serum gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) elevation and relations between multiple etiologies prevalent in the Pursaklar region of Ankara in Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients referred to the Family Medicine and Internal Medicine departments with various complaints from the Pursaklar region of Ankara between July 2000 and July 2002 were evaluated, and values for GGT, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were determined. GGT elevation was classified as being associated with hepatic, biliary, and other origins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For GGT elevation, hepatobiliary etiologies were more prevalent. The most prevalent hepatic etiology was nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, followed by biliary etiologies. The most prevalent etiology of biliary origin was cholelithiasis. Other etiologies, in order of prevalence, were drug exposure and urinary infection. There were no gender-related differences for distribution of GGT elevation; however, the GGT values for women were higher than those for men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Fatih University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oğuz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uraldi
authors.forename: Bünyamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Işik
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozkara
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ardiçoğlu
authors.forename: Elife
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erarslan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase