title: gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase and incident stroke among Japanese men and women: the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although serum gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) levels have been associated with cardiovascular disease incidence, few studies have taken into account the effect of alcohol intake on GGT levels. In this study, we examined the relationship between GGT and stroke incidence according to drinking status.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective cohort study of Japanese women (N=6281) and men (N=3471) aged 40 to 69 years living in communities under systematic surveillance for stroke incidence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 18-year follow-up, 202 (3.2%) women and 230 (6.6%) men had strokes. Serum GGT levels were positively associated with risk of total stroke for women but not men. The multivariable hazard ratios of total stroke for the highest quartile of GGT compared with the lowest quartile were 1.56 (95% CI, 1.01 to 2.39) for women and 1.37 (95% CI, 0.89 to 2.11) for men. Moreover, GGT was associated with total and ischemic stroke risks for never-drinking women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum GGT is associated with risk of total and ischemic strokes for Japanese women, especially never-drinkers.
authors.affiliation: Public Health, Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Osaka University, Suita-shi, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imano
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohira
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiyama
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimamoto
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanigawa
authors.forename: Hiroyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020268:Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D017678:Sex Distribution; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase