title: Serum hepatic enzyme activity and alcohol drinking status in relation to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the general Japanese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies on the combined associations of elevated serum hepatic enzyme activity and alcohol drinking with metabolic syndrome are rare. Our objectives were to evaluate the associations of elevated serum hepatic enzyme activity with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the general Japanese population and whether alcohol drinking had a modifying effect on these associations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study with 1,027 men and 1,152 women throughout Japan during 2002-2010. Biochemical factors including alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) were determined in overnight fasting blood, and a survey on lifestyle was conducted by questionnaire. Serum ALT and GGT levels were divided into tertiles in men and women, and their associations with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome were evaluated by logistic regressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated serum ALT and GGT, even within the reference range, were independently associated with increased metabolic syndrome prevalence and were associated with most of its components in both sexes, except for the association between GGT and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in men. Stratified analyses by alcohol drinking status revealed that within the same tertile category of serum ALT and GGT, subjects classified as alcohol abstainers showed higher adjusted odds ratios for metabolic syndrome prevalence than those classified as regular alcohol drinkers in both sexes. The interaction effects of serum GGT with alcohol drinking status on metabolic syndrome prevalence were significant in both sexes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that elevated serum ALT and GGT, even within the reference range, are independently associated with increased metabolic syndrome prevalence, especially in alcohol abstainers, in Japanese men and women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Sakurako
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Katsuura-Kamano
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Miwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Fusakazu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sawachika
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kokichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arisawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
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