title: Serum gamma glutamyl transferase and alanine transaminase concentrations predict endothelial dysfunction in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We aimed to investigate the presence of endothelial dysfunction and whether serum concentrations of liver enzymes may reflect the severity of such an endothelial dysfunction in patients with NASH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients with NASH diagnosed by liver biopsies and 30 healthy controls were included. Blood samples after fasting were harvested for measurements of glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglyceride, and liver enzymes. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography and brachial and carotid artery Doppler ultrasonography to evaluate flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with NASH had impaired FMD (4.9 ± 2.8% to 9.3 ± 4.4%, P < 0.001) and higher CIMT (0.79 ± 0.16 mm to 0.64 ± 0.11 mm, P < 0.001) when compared with healthy controls. Linear regression analyses revealed that serum concentrations of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were associated with FMD and CIMT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with NASH have impaired FMD and increased CIMT when compared with healthy controls. In patients with NASH, serum concentrations of GGT and ALT might have a predictive value for FMD and CIMT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kayseri Education and Research Hospital , Kayseri , Turkey.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arinc
authors.forename: Bahadir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarli
authors.forename: Ahmet Oguz
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Baktir
authors.forename: Hayrettin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saglam
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurtul
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karaman
authors.forename: Abdulsamet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erden
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karaman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D010100:Oxygen