title: Dose-response relationship between serum γ-glutamyltransferase and arterial stiffness in Korean adults: the Namwon Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The results of epidemiologic studies of the association between serum γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) have been inconsistent. We examined the association between serum GGT and arterial stiffness in a general population of Korean adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 6314 community-dwelling Koreans who participated in the baseline survey of the Namwon Study. We analyzed sex-specific association between serum GGT and arterial stiffness, as measured by baPWV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant progressive increase in age-adjusted mean baPWV across quartiles of GGT in both sexes. In fully adjusted analysis, as compared with the lowest quartile, the odds ratios (95% CI) for high baPWV (ie, sex-specific fifth quintile) were 1.51 (1.03-2.23), 1.82 (1.22-2.72), and 2.80 (1.79-4.40) among men (P-trend <0.001), and 1.11 (0.81-1.52), 1.29 (0.94-1.76), and 1.47 (1.04-2.08) among women (P-trend <0.001), for the second, third, and fourth quartiles of GGT, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This population-based study examined the dose-response relationship between GGT and arterial stiffness as measured by baPWV in both sexes. The association between GGT and arterial stiffness was stronger among men. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to examine the relationship between GGT and arterial stiffness and clarify the mechanism underlying the association.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School.
authors.forename: Sun-Seog
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kweon
authors.forename: Min-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Hae-Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Seul-Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Kyeong-Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin-Su
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seong-Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hye-Yeon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gyung-Jae
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Young-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase