Association of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase with C-reactive protein levels and white blood cell count in Korean adults.
BACKGROUND
Elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) has emerged as an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) which is increasingly viewed as an inflammatory disease. Thus, the mechanism underlying the link between elevated GGT and CVD may be inflammation.


METHODS
We examined the relationship between GGT and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and white blood cell (WBC) count in 4562 Korean adults (2104 men, 2458 women). The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for high CRP and WBC count (> or = 75th percentile) for both men and women were calculated across each quartile of serum GGT.


RESULTS
Results for the OR (95% CI) for high CRP levels by GGT quartiles were 1.00, 1.67 (1.21-2.29), 2.10 (1.51-2.93) and 2.51 (1.81-3.60) in men, and 1.00, 1.05 (0.65-1.68), 1.45 (0.79-2.02) and 2.16 (1.37-3.41) in women after adjustment for age, smoking status, alcohol intake, exercise, body mass index, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and uric acid. Similarly, positive associations between serum GGT and WBC count were also observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study demonstrates a positive correlation between GGT and two markers of inflammation, serum CRP and WBC count. Our findings suggest that serum GGT may be a surrogate inflammatory marker and a useful additional measure in assessing cardiovascular risk.
Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Yong-Jae
YJ
Lee
Jong-Koo
JK
Kim
Jung-Hyun
JH
Lee
Hye-Ree
HR
Lee
Dae-Ryong
DR
Kang
Jae-Yong
JY
Shim
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase