title: Vertebrobasilar insufficiency and gamma-glutamyltransferase: An emerging relationship demonstrating inflammation and atherosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) is a pathology arising from the reduction in flow rate of vertebral arteries and mainly caused by inflammation and atherosclerosis. Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a marker which has been recently recognized as a marker of inflammation and atherosclerosis. We aimed to investigate the relationship between GGT levels and VBI for the first time.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, of 3100 subjects who had vertebrobasilar doppler ultrasonography (VBU) were evaluated and 1042 of them who met the inclusion criterias were included. VBU reports, GGT levels, blood chemistry, lipid profile were received from patients' files. Patients were evaluated according to VBU measurements and divided into two groups,VBI and non-VBI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean vertebral arterial blood flow volume values were 149.99±32.93 mL/m in VBI group and 286.88 ± 70.98 mL/m in non-VBI group. Mean GGT and CRP values were significantly higher in the VBI group than in the non-VBY group (p < 0.001) ( p < 0.001), respectively. Vertebral artery blood flow volume was negatively correlated with GGT (r: -0.208, p < 0.001) and CRP (r: -0.119, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated a significant correlation between serum GGT levels and VBI. In addition, higher GGT level was an independent risk factor for the presence of vertebrobasilar system inflammation and atherosclerosis (Tab. 2, Fig. 3, Ref. 27).
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ulu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beker-Acay
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ulu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Unlu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bucak
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yaman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altug
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oruc
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004453:Echoencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014421:Turkey; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase
keywords: atherosclerosis; gamma-glutamyltransferase.; inflammation; vertebrobasilar insufficiency