title: Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels and inflammatory activity in patients with non-dipper hypertension.
abstract: Non-dipper hypertension is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level, which is accepted as a marker for oxidative stress and its relationship with inflammatory activity in patients with non-dipper hypertension. Age and sex matched 43 dipper hypertensive patients, 40 non-dipper patients, and 46 healthy subjects were included into the study. Serum GGT and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured and compared between each of the groups. Serum GGT activity was higher in the non-dipper and the dipper hypertensive groups than in the control group (33.5 ± 11.8 and 28.1 ± 10.1 U/l, respectively, vs. 21.2 ± 6.5 U/l; p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in serum GGT activity between the non-dippers and the dippers (p = 0.021). When compared with the control group, serum CRP levels were significantly increased in both the non-dipper and the dipper hypertensive groups (6.1 ± 2.6 and 5.4 ± 2.1 mg/l, respectively, vs. 2.8 ± 1.7 mg/L; p < 0.001). Increased CRP levels were higher in non-dippers than dippers (p = 0.046). A significant correlation was found between GGT and CRP measurements (r = 0.37, p = 0.002). Serum GGT levels, which are markers of the oxidative stress and CRP levels, are both increased in non-dipper hypertension. Increased GGT activity, found to be correlated with CRP levels, may be one of the reasons behind the non-dipper hypertension related cardiovascular complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, İnönü University, Turgut Özal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey. necipermis@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Necip
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ermis
authors.forename: Julide
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yagmur
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Acikgoz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cansel
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cuglan
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pekdemir
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase