This study investigated whether there is any difference in drinking amount associated with abnormal expression of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), one of the biological markers of excessive drinking, between flushing and non-flushing women after drinking
The subjects were 797 women aged 20–59 years old who visited health promotion center of Chungnam National University Hospital between January, 2013 and July, 2014. Facial flushing status after drinking, amount of alcohol consumed per drinking episode, and the number of drinking days per week were assessed using a questionnaire. Age, abnormal GGT expression, smoking status, menopauase status, and body mass index (BMI) were obtained from the health screening data. The weekly drinking amount were categorized into <4 drinks; ≥4, <8 drinks; and ≥8 drinks. The association of abnormal GGT expression with weekly drinking amount was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression after controlling for confounding variables including age, smoking status, menopauase status, and BMI.
Compared to nondrinkers, the abnormal GGT expression in the non-flushing group was significantly increased when the weekly drinking amount was ≥4 drinks (≥4, <8 drinks: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 37.568; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.793–144.116; ≥8 drinks: aOR, 20.350; 95% CI, 20.350–305.138). On the other hand, the abnormal GGT expression in the flushing group was significantly increased in every weekly drinking amount range (<4 drinks: aOR, 4.120; 95% CI, 1.603–10.585; ≥4, <8 drinks: aOR, 79.206; 95% CI, 24.034–261.031; ≥8 drinks: aOR, 111.342; 95% CI, 30.987–400.079). For each weekly drinking amount range, the flushing group showed significantly higher abnormal GGT expression than the non-flushing group (<4 drinks: aOR, 3.867; 95% CI, 1.786–8.374; ≥4, <8 drinks: aOR, 57.277; 95% CI, 24.430–134.285; ≥8 drinks: aOR, 104.871; 95% CI, 42.945–256.091).
This study showed that abnormal GGT expression in the flushing female drinkers was induced by smaller amounts of alcohol than in the non-flushing female drinkers.
Citations
Abnormal serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) may be an early and sensitive marker for oxidative stress. This study was performed to evaluate the association between serum heavy metals and γ-GT concentration.
This study is a cross-sectional analysis based on data from Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (V-1, 2, 2010, 2011) regarding serum heavy metal concentrations (lead, mercury, and cadmium) as well as serum γ-GT. Serum heavy metals were categorized into tertiles, and serum γ-GT concentration was compared using an analysis of covariance test after relevant variable adjustments. In addition, we evaluated the odds ratio (OR) of having the highest tertile of serum γ-GT in each heavy metal tertile using logistic regression.
The mean serum lead, mercury, and cadmium concentrations were 2.67, 5.08, and 1.02 µg/dL in men and 1.95, 3.60, and 1.21 µg/dL in women, respectively. Partial correlation showed a significant positive relation between each heavy metal and serum γ-GT concentration. Comparing serum γ-GT concentration by the tertile of each heavy metal, serum γ-GT concentration showed a significant increase as the tertiles of serum mercury and cadmium in men and that of serum mercury in women increased, but not with lead. The OR of having the highest tertile of serum γ-GT was significant for cadmium in men (OR, 4.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.54 to 6.35) and mercury in women (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.29 to 3.10) in the top tertile of each heavy metal.
Higher serum heavy metal concentration may be related with higher serum γ-GT concentration. In particular, serum cadmium in men and mercury in women showed significant correlation with serum γ-GT concentration.
Citations
Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) has been suggested as a predictor for development of the metabolic syndrome in non-Korean population, but studies in Korean population are scarce. Therefore, we examined the association between serum GGT levels and the incidence of the metabolic syndrome in Korean male office workers.
The study population consisted of 32,692 office workers who underwent health checkups in both 2005 and 2009. A total of 17,583 with elevated GGT levels, the presence of metabolic syndrome, medication history at baseline, and female office workers were excluded. Finally, 15,109 subjects were included in the final analysis. We measured serum GGT levels and individual metabolic components.
As a quartile of serum GGT increased, 4-year follow-up incidence of the metabolic syndrome increased. After adjustment for age, alcohol drinking status and smoking status in 2005, logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for incident metabolic syndrome in 2009 compared to the lowest quartile and upper quartiles were 1.00 (reference), 1.57 (1.24-2.00), 2.73 (2.17-3.43), 3.78 (3.02-4.74), and statistically significant (P < 0.001), respectively.
These results showed that the higher serum GGT predicted the future development of metabolic syndrome. In Korean male office workers without the metabolic syndrome, the serum GGT levels despite normal levels were associated with an increased risk of incident metabolic syndrome.
Citations
Recently, it has been reported that gamma-glumyltransferase (GGT) is associated with various cardiovascular risk factors including overweight in adults. However, there are few studies on the relationship between GGT and cardiovascular risk factors in children. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between serum GGT level and overweight in Korean urban children.
This study was a cross-sectional study using data on 390 4th grade students of elementary schools in Gunpo, Korea. Children were divided into 4 groups according to gender-specific quartiles of serum GGT level. Body mass index, waist circumference and body fat percentage were quantified as adiposity indices.
All adiposity indices in children of the highest GGT level quartile were higher than those in children of the lowest quartile. Adjusted odd ratios on overweight of the highest quartile of GGT level compared to the lowest quartile were 14.40 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.43 to 46.83) in boys and 2.94 (95% CI, 1.06 to 8.16) in girls.
This study shows that high serum GGT level is related with overweight in Korean urban children and this relationship is stronger in boys compared to girls.
Citations
First
Prev
