Cent Eur J Public Health 2014, 22(Supplement):S43-S50

Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase Level Associated with Metabolic Syndrome and Proinflammatory Parameters in the Young Roma Population in Eastern Slovakia: a Population-Based Study

Peter Jarčuška¹, Martin Janičko¹, Sylvia Dražilová², Gabriela Senajová¹, Eduard Veselíny¹, Ján Fedačko¹, Leonard Siegfried³, Pavol Kristian⁴, Michal Tkáč Jr.⁵, Daniel Pella¹, Mária Mareková⁶, Andrea Madarasová Gecková^7,8, Pavol Jarčuška⁴

¹ 1st Department of Internal Medicine, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Medicine and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovakia

² Department of Internal Medicine, Poprad Hospital, Poprad, Slovakia

³ Department of Medical Microbiology, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Medicine and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovakia

⁴ Department of Infectious Diseases, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Faculty of Medicine and L. Pasteur University Hospital, Košice, Slovakia

⁵ Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Economics, Košice, Slovakia

⁶ Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry and LABMED, Faculty of Medicine, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia

⁷ Health Psychology Unit, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, P. J. Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia

⁸ Olomouc University Social Health Institute, Palacký University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Background: Elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is present approximately in half of all patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is the liver manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MS). This study aimed to explore the relationship between GGT and MS or proinflammatory parameters.

Methods: Data from the cross-sectional HepaMeta study conducted in Slovakia in 2011 among Roma living in rural communities were used. Participants (n=446) were divided into 2 groups; those with elevated GGT and those with normal GGT levels. MS was diagnosed according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria; presence of central obesity and low density lipoproteins (LDL) or high density lipoproteins (HDL), high triglycerides, hypertension, glucose intolerance or type 2 diabetes. Participants were tested for the presence of MS and its components, and biochemical tests for lipid levels (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, TG) and inflammatory parameters (high sensitivity C-reactive protein - hs-CRP and ferritin) were performed.

Results: Of 446 Roma participants, only 29 (6.5%) had GGT levels above the normal value. After exclusion of patients with viral hepatitis and alcohol abuse, patients with elevated GGT suffered from MS more often (p<0.001), and patients with more MS components had a higher risk of elevated GGT. We found a significant association between GGT and the individual MS components, except HDL (waist circumference ≥ 94cm in men or 80 cm in women: p<0.01; BMI>30: p<0.001; fasting glucose ≥ 5.6 mmol/l: p<0.001; arterial hypertension: p<0.05, and TAG ≥1.7 mmol/l: p<0.001). Patients with elevated GGT levels had also significantly higher hs-CRP (hs-CRP>2 mg/l: p<0.001; hs-CRP>3 mg/l: p<0.001) and ferritin (ferritin > 300 mg/l: p<0.01) levels.

Conclusion: Patients with MS have more significantly elevated levels of GGT. There is a significant association of GGT with individual MS components, except HDL and inflammatory parameters (hs-CRP, ferritin).

Keywords: gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hs-CRP, ferritin

Published: March 1, 2014  Show citation