Objective: Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) seems to be a predictor for coronary artery disease (CAD). The objective of this study was to elucidate the relationship between GGT and total as well as cardiovascular mortality.
Methods: Serum levels of GGT were determined in 2556 subjects with and 699 subjects without angiographic evidence of CAD in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study.
Results: Serum GGT was positively associated with male gender, alcohol consumption and markers of the metabolic syndrome (triglycerides, blood pressure, waist circumference and insulin resistance). It was positively related to aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and negatively related to glutathione and increased age. During a mean follow-up period of 7.75 years, 754 subjects died. Compared with subjects in the lowest quartile of GGT, the unadjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for all-cause death were 1.2 (0.9-1.5), 1.4 (1.1-1.8) and 1.9 (1.5-2.3), respectively, in other GGT quartiles. Hazard ratios (CI) for death from cardiovascular causes were 1.4 (1.0-2.0), 1.8 (1.4-2.5) and 2.2 (1.6-2.9). After adjustment for age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors GGT remained a significant predictor for total and cardiovascular mortality. In angiographic CAD the predictive value of GGT was also significant and similar to that in the entire cohort.
Conclusion: Serum GGT is predictive of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in individuals with CAD independently of other cardiovascular risk factors.
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