Objective: To study the association of γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) with the development of the metabolic syndrome (MS).
Methods: Subjects without MS at baseline in Beijing health-checkup database during 2003 and 2010, from MJ Health Management Centers, with complete key variables and at least two records were selected to derive a cohort, after comparison of the median trend, and analysis with Cox regression models and spline regression models, and to study the association of GGT with the development of MS and the dose-response relationship trend.
Results: Out of 10 076 (46.20/1 000 person-years) in the cohort, 1 181 subjects developed MS after follow-up of 2.54 years on average. With adjustment for age, gender, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, body mass index, family history of cardiovascular disease, systolic blood pressure, white blood cell count, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and C-reacted protein in Cox regression model, the hazard ratio for MS in quartiles 4 level of GGT was 1.60(95% confidence interval: 1.18-2.17). After adjustment with the use of spline regression model, the dose-response relationship showed an increasing curve with a degressive slope. The elevated GGT level was associated with an increased risk of MS, but the contribution of GGT augmented less when the GGT level was high.
Conclusion: The elevated GGT level, an important risk factor and predictor, may be associated with an increased risk of MS.