Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences
DOI
10.3906/sag-1901-166
Abstract
Background/aim: To elucidate how the combination of fatty liver and increased serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels influences atherosclerotic plaque development in apparently healthy people.Materials and methods: The study population included people who had received an annual health checkup for more than 7 years and had no evidence of carotid plaque at baseline. We investigated the risk factors for carotid plaque occurrence using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results: A total of 107 people (76 men and 31 women; median age, 49 years) were enrolled. At baseline, fatty liver and a serum GGT level ≥50 U/L were observed in 13 and 38 people, respectively. During a median follow-up period of 13.3 years, carotid plaques appeared in 34 people. Multivariate analysis revealed that the combination of fatty liver and a serum GGT level ≥50 U/L was the only significant risk factor for carotid plaque occurrence (age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio: 5.55; 95% confidence interval 1.70-18.14; P = 0.005).Conclusion: The combination of fatty liver and increased serum GGT levels raises the risk for atherosclerotic plaque development in apparently healthy people.
Keywords
Fatty liver, serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, carotid plaque, apparently healthy people
First Page
1350
Last Page
1357
Recommended Citation
KINOSHITA, KAORI; TOSHIKUNI, NOBUYUKI; SAITO, TAKASHI; HAYASHI, NOBUHIKO; MINATO, TAKAHIRO; MATSUE, YASUHIRO; UEDA, YOSHIMICHI; TSUCHISHIMA, MUTSUMI; and TSUTSUMI, MIKIHIRO
(2019)
"The combination of fatty liver and increased gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels as a risk factor for atherosclerotic plaque development in apparently healthy people,"
Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences: Vol. 49:
No.
5, Article 13.
https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-1901-166
Available at:
https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/medical/vol49/iss5/13