title: Serum gamma - glutamyltransferase is associated with albuminuria: a population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Serum γ - glutamyltransferase (GGT) is implicated in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Albuminuria is a marker of endothelial damage and correlated with structural and functional integrity of the vasculature. Our objective was to evaluate the association between serum GGT level and prevalence of albuminuria in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study in 9,702 subjects aged 40 years or older. Increased urinary albumin excretion was defined according to the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) ranges greater or equal than 30 mg/g. Low-grade albuminuria was defined according to the highest quartile of ACR in participants without increased urinary albumin excretion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of low-grade albuminuria and increased urinary albumin excretion were respectively 23.4% and 6.6% in this population and gradually increased across the sex-specific serum GGT quartiles (all P for trend <0.05). In logistic regression analysis, compared with subjects in the lowest quartile of serum GGT level, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) in the highest quartile was 1.22 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04-1.43] for low-grade albuminuria and 1.55 (95% CI, 1.18-2.04) for increased urinary albumin excretion. In subgroup analysis, significant relationship of serum GGT level with both low-grade albuminuria and increased urinary albumin excretion were detected in women, younger subjects, overweight subjects and in those with hypertension or glomerular filtration rate greater than 90 (all P <0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum GGT level is associated with urinary albumin excretion in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Diaozhu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yiqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mingtong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chulin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou, 510120, People' s Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000652:urine; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004727:Endothelium / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011153:Population / Q000235:genetics*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol; D003404:Creatinine; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase