title: Association with serum gamma-glutamyltransferase levels and alcohol consumption on stroke and coronary artery disease: the Suita study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, whereas high serum γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) level is associated with cardiovascular disease. However, whether light-to-moderate alcohol drinking is still related to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease irrespective of GGT level is uncertain.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a 12.5-year cohort study of 2336 men (excluding exdrinkers) who were free from cardiovascular disease. They were classified into 4 groups according to alcohol consumption: never, and current light, moderate, or heavy drinker. The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios of alcohol consumption for incidence of coronary artery disease, total stroke, and ischemic stroke compared with those of never drinkers were assessed with stratification by GGT median (32 IU/L).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In participants with GGT >32 IU/L, the hazard ratios of all current drinkers for total and ischemic stroke were higher than those of never drinkers. However, in all current drinkers with GGT ≤32 IU/L, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios for total and ischemic stroke were lower than in never drinkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In men with above GGT median, alcohol drinking even with light-to-moderate consumption could be a risk factor for ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan. ahigashi@hyo-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Higashiyama
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wakabayashi
authors.forename: Yuu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kokubo
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okayama
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase