Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase level is an independent predictor of incident hypertension in Korean adults

The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) level within the normal range and incident hypertension according to drinking and obesity status in nonhypertensive individuals. We followed up 4783 normotensive adults (mean age 44 years) who had serum GGT levels within the normal range at baseline for 3 years. Subjects were divided into four GGT quartile groups according to their serum GGT level at baseline. The overall incidence of hypertension was 8.1, and the incidence increased with increasing GGT quartile (3.8, 6.9, 9.0, and 12.4 in the lowest, second, third, and highest GGT quartiles, respectively; P <.001). In the logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, lifestyle factors, glucose, uric acid, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and baseline systolic blood pressure, the odds ratio (ORs) for incident hypertension increased with increasing GGT quartile (P for trend.030). In the above model, the highest quartile group showed increased ORs compared with those in the lowest quartile group (ORs [95 confidence interval], 2.638 [1.2595.528]). Subgroup analyses revealed a significant association between GGT quartile and the incidence of hypertension in the drinker and non-overweight groups. Our results indicate that elevated serum GGT levels within the normal range are associated with a higher risk of incident hypertension in Korean adults, particularly, in drinkers and non-overweight individuals, suggesting possible different pathophysiologic mechanisms in the incidence of alcohol-and obesity-related hypertension.