title: Gamma-glutamyl transferase is strongly associated with degree of overweight and sex.
abstract: Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is a marker for cardiovascular risk and an independent predictor of long-term outcome in adults. Epidemiological data from pediatric cohorts are rare. We studied the association of GGT to body mass index as a standard deviation score, sex, and age in 68,415 children (age 11.7 ± 4.4 years; 48% boys; body mass index 27.2 ± 7.4 kg/m2; GGT measured in n = 23,955). GGT >50 U/L is strongly associated with extreme obesity (odds ratio 27.13, 95% confidence interval 15.07-48.85) and male sex (odds ratio 2.60, 95% confidence interval 2.03-3.31). GGT seems to be of clinical relevance and may be marketable as a surrogate in risk profiling for children with obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. Susanna.wiegand@charite.de
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wiegand
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thamm
authors.forename: Wieland
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kiess
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Körner
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reinehr
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krude
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hoffmeister
authors.forename: Reinhard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Holl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase