Serum γ‐Glutamyl Transpeptidase Levels and Hypertension in Non‐drinkers: A Possible Role of Fatty Liver in the Pathogenesis of Obesity Related Hypertension

Abstract

The relationships between increases in body mass index (BMI) and increases in hypertension were compared between non-drinkers with elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP) levels (> or = 50 U/l) and those with normal levels, who comprised 10,952 men and 22,107 women aged 40-59 years recruited from an occupational health clinic. Hypertension was found in 16.1% and 13.5% of the men and women, and elevated serum g-GTP was found in 10.8% and 2.8% of the men and women, respectively. The prevalences of hypertension and elevated serum gamma-GTP levels were both increased with increased BMI. Hypertension was, however, shown to be 1.5 times more prevalent in the persons with elevated serum gamma-GTP levels than in those with normal levels in both sexes, even after adjusting for BMI by a multiple logistic analysis. It can be concluded that elevations of serum gamma-GTP, which are probably a reflection of fatty liver in the non-drinkers, are closely related to the development of hypertension associated with increased obesity.

Association between Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase Level and Prehypertension among Community-Dwelling Men

“…Serum GGT is associated with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and abnormal glucose tolerance, suggesting that it is related to hepatic insulin resistance rather than non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (Ikai et al 1994;Nilssen and Førde 1994;Kang et al 2007). GGT plays a direct role in the generation of reactive oxygen species in the presence of iron or other transition metals (Brown et al 1998), inducing lipid peroxidation in human biological membranes (Paolicchi et al 1997), and is an indirect marker of antioxidant systems, with the primary function of maintaining the intracellular concentration of glutathione in response to oxidative stress (Karp et al 2001).…”

Hypertension and fatty liver: guilty by association?

“…Over the past 20 years, several epidemiological studies have highlighted the particular association of raised g-glutamyl transferase (gGT) and hypertension. [19][20][21][22][23][24][25] A recent prospective study has confirmed a positive association between age, serum gGT and the subsequent risk of hypertension. 26 This relationship between gGT and hypertension may be independent of alcohol consumption, where gGT has been shown to correlate with systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Table 3).…”

Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase

“…39 -44 The connection between GGT and the metabolic syndrome extends to an association of higher GGT levels with hypertension. [45][46][47][48][49] Thus, it appears that all of the major components of the metabolic syndrome are linked to elevations of serum GGT.…”