Relationship Between Serum Gamma-Glutamyltransferase Levels and Prehypertension in Chinese Adults: The Cardiometabolic Risk in Chinese Study

The authors aimed to investigate the relationship between serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and prehypertension, as well as the modification of other metabolic risk factors in a large cohort of Chinese individuals. The data were collected via a community-based health examination survey in central China. Blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and levels of GGT, fasting blood glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lipid indicators were measured. In total, data from 18,302 patients with available biomarkers were included in the present study. Elevated blood pressure was associated with increased GGT concentration (P<.001). After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, fasting blood glucose, lipid indicators, AST, and family history of hypertension, the association between GGT levels and prehypertension remained significant (P=.021). The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for prehypertension across quintiles of GGT level were 1.00, 1.057 (1.012-1.334), 1.068 (0.916-1.254), 1.024 (0.851-1.368), and 1.272 (1.027-1.593), respectively. In stratified analyses, the association between GGT levels and prehypertension was significant in women but was not significant in men. Moreover, additive effect of BMI and age on the effect of GGT levels on prehypertension (both P for interaction <.001) was observed. In summary, GGT levels were positively associated with prehypertension in women, independent of other metabolic factors. Furthermore, BMI and age may amplify the effects of GGT levels on prehypertension. These findings suggest that monitoring the levels of GGT could help in the diagnosis and monitoring of prehypertension. (C) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.