Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase and mortality in persons undergoing coronary angiography-The Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health Study.
OBJECTIVE
Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) seems to be a predictor for coronary artery disease (CAD). The objective of this study was to elucidate the relationship between GGT and total as well as cardiovascular mortality.


METHODS
Serum levels of GGT were determined in 2556 subjects with and 699 subjects without angiographic evidence of CAD in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study.


RESULTS
Serum GGT was positively associated with male gender, alcohol consumption and markers of the metabolic syndrome (triglycerides, blood pressure, waist circumference and insulin resistance). It was positively related to aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and negatively related to glutathione and increased age. During a mean follow-up period of 7.75 years, 754 subjects died. Compared with subjects in the lowest quartile of GGT, the unadjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for all-cause death were 1.2 (0.9-1.5), 1.4 (1.1-1.8) and 1.9 (1.5-2.3), respectively, in other GGT quartiles. Hazard ratios (CI) for death from cardiovascular causes were 1.4 (1.0-2.0), 1.8 (1.4-2.5) and 2.2 (1.6-2.9). After adjustment for age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors GGT remained a significant predictor for total and cardiovascular mortality. In angiographic CAD the predictive value of GGT was also significant and similar to that in the entire cohort.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum GGT is predictive of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in individuals with CAD independently of other cardiovascular risk factors.
Stojakovic
Tatjana
T
Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, A-8036 Graz, Austria. tatjana.stojakovic@medunigraz.at
Scharnagl
Hubert
H
Trauner
Michael
M
Pieske
Burkert
B
Wellnitz
Britta
B
Seelhorst
Ursula
U
Schilling
Dieter
D
Winkelmann
Bernhard R
BR
Boehm
Bernhard O
BO
März
Winfried
W
D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase