Correlation Of Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase With Atherogenic Dyslipidemia In Obese Individuals

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a significant social health issue and has been linked to the risk of becoming metabolically syndrome-prone, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases. Atherogenic dyslipidemia, which is high triglycerides, low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a typical metabolic defect seen in obese patients. Traditionally, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) can be considered a biomarker of hepatobiliary dysfunction, it has recently shown potential as a biomarker of oxidative stress, visceral adiposity, and cardiovascular risk. But its association with atherogenic dyslipidemia in obesity has not been thoroughly comprehended. The study will assess serum gamma -glutamyl transferase levels in obese individuals, contrast parameters of lipid profiles of obese and non-obese adults and establish the relationship between serum GGT and atherogenic dyslipidemia.

Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was carried out in a hospital setting that involved 200 participants aged between 19 and 40 years with 100 obese and 100 age-matched and healthy non-obese controls. Standard laboratory tests were conducted to measure anthropometric, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and serum GGT levels. Continuous variables were compared in terms of independent student t-test, and correlation coefficient of Pearson was used to assess the association between serum GGT and the lipid profile parameters. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The mean age of participants was comparable between the obese and non-obese groups (29.71 ± 6.62 vs. 29.43 ± 6.52 years; p = 0.763). Body mass index, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), serum GGT were all significantly higher among obese people than among the controls (all p < 0.001) and HDL cholesterol was significantly lower (p < 0.001). Mean serum GGT was markedly elevated in obese participants (48.90 ± 7.31 U/L) compared with non-obese controls (32.72 ± 6.13 U/L; p < 0.001). Serum GGT demonstrated significant positive correlations with total cholesterol (r = 0.487, p < 0.001), triglycerides (r = 0.439, p < 0.001), LDL cholesterol (r = 0.479, p < 0.001), and VLDL cholesterol (r = 0.437, p < 0.001), while showing a significant negative correlation with HDL cholesterol (r = -0.330, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The levels of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase are highly upraised in obese people and strongly linked to atherogenic lipid profile. Positive correlation of GGT with poor lipid parameters and negative association with the HDL cholesterol indicate that GGT might be a simple and cheap biomarker to determine human risk at higher cardiometabolic risk through its obese patients. Routine metabolic screening with the addition of serum GGT might help in making early risk stratification as well as timely preventive actions against cardiovascular diseases.