Association between Serum γ-Glutamyltransferase and Chronic Kidney Disease among US Adults

Abstract

Background/Aim: Serum γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), a biomarker of oxidative stress, is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and hypertension. However, it is not known whether higher serum GGT is independently associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Therefore, we examined the association between serum GGT levels and CKD in a representative sample of US adults. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 9,516 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002 participants ≧18 years of age (52.40% women). Serum GGT was categorized into quartiles for the analysis. CKD (n = 622) was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 ml/min/1.73 m². Results and Conclusion: Higher serum GGT levels were not associated with CKD after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education levels, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, hypertension and serum cholesterol. Compared to quartile 1 of GGT, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of CKD associated with quartile 4 was 1.02 (0.81–1.28); p trend = 0.377. Subgroup analyses that examined the relation between GGT and CKD by gender, alcohol intake, and BMI categories also showed a consistent null association. In summary, there was no association between increasing levels of serum GGT and CKD in a sample of US adults.

Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase and Ferritin Synergistically Associated with the Rate of Chronic Kidney Disease

“…Some studies showed that serum GGT within the physiologic range independently predicted albuminuria among patients with or without hypertension or diabetes [11, 12], while another study showed that there was no association between increased levels of serum GGT and CKD [13]. The discrepancy among these studies was unclear.…”

“…Our previous study showed that serum GGT was correlated with SF, and they could synergistically affect the risk of type 2 diabetes [10]. Several but not all studies showed that GGT was associated with increased risk of CKD [11–13]. Few studies analyzed the association between SF and CKD, especially the interaction between GGT and SF on CKD.…”

Body mass index and metabolic factors predict glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria over 20 years in a high-risk population

“…Two cross-sectional studies using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data came to different conclusions. Whereas one study found a strong association between GGT and CKD [30], the other study found no such relation [31]. An investigation with a 3-year follow-up described an association between GGT and the development of CKD (defined as eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m 2 ) in men without hypertension or diabetes [32].…”

Elevated Serum Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) Activity and the Development of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Cigarette Smokers

“…These findings could explain the controversial report of Teppala et al (21) showing no significant association between elevated serum GGT and the prevalence of CKD defined as reduced eGFR of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 in the participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) 1999-2002, versus that of Targher et al (20) showing a significant association with the prevalence of CKD defined as reduced eGFR and/or abnormal albuminuria in the same study program of NHANES 2001-2006, although both studies had a major limitation as cross-sectional observations.…”