Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) has an ambivalent association with hypertension and atherosclerosis among elderly Japanese men: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 69 - 7
• Main Authors: Shimizu, Yuji, Kawashiri, Shin-Ya, Kiyoura, Kairi, Nobusue, Kenichi, Yamanashi, Hirotomo, Nagata, Yasuhiro, Maeda, Takahiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central 30.11.2019; Komiyama Printing Co., Ltd; Komiyama Printing Co. Ltd
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Alcohol; Antigens, CD34 - analysis; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - blood; Atherosclerosis - enzymology; Atherosclerosis - epidemiology; Atherosclerosis - pathology; Automation; Biomarkers - blood; Blood pressure; Body mass index; Bone marrow; CD34; CD34 antigen; Cross-Sectional Studies; Endothelial cells; Endothelial Cells - chemistry; Endothelial Cells - pathology; Endothelium; Environmental health; gamma-Glutamyltransferase - blood; Guanosine triphosphate; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - blood; Hypertension - enzymology; Hypertension - epidemiology; Hypertension - pathology; Japan - epidemiology; Laboratories; Male; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; Older people; Oxidative stress; Population; Population studies; Repair; Risk factors; Software; γ-Glutamyltransferase; γ-GTP; Japan; Hypertension; CD34; Atherosclerosis; γ-GTP
• ISSN: 1342-078X; 1347-4715; 1347-4715
• DOI: 10.1186/s12199-019-0828-2

Background: Even though there is bidirectional association between hypertension and atherosclerosis, atherosclerosis itself is involved in the process of endothelial repair. To clarify the association of endothelial repair with hypertension, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 562 elderly Japanese men aged 60-69. As gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GTP) could act as a marker of oxidative stress that injures endothelial cell and higher levels of CD34-positive cell indicate a higher activity of endothelial repair, we therefore performed a CD34-positive level specific analysis of γ-GTP on atherosclerosis and hypertension. Results: In the present study population, hypertension was independently and positively associated with atherosclerosis (multivariable odds ratio (OR) = 2.09 (1.30, 3.35)). Among participants with high CD34-positive cells, γ-GTP showed significant and positive association with atherosclerosis (OR of the log-transformed value of γ-GTP (OR) = 2.26 (1.32, 3.86)) but not with hypertension (OR = 0.77 (0.51, 1.17)). Among participants with low CD34-positive cells, even γ-GTP showed no significant association with atherosclerosis (OR = 0.92 (0.51, 1.68)), but was significantly and positively associated with hypertension (OR = 1.99 (1.27, 3.12)). Conclusions: γ-GTP revealed to have ambivalent association with hypertension and atherosclerosis. Active endothelial repair that is associated with atherosclerosis might have beneficial association with hypertension.