Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction and aims: Recent epidemiological studies have suggested serum gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) within its normal range might be an early marker of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress appears to be a key component of many reactions associated with chronic inflammation. Obesity is associated with elevated levels of biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Oxidative stress and inflammation are also known to play critical roles in the pathogenesis of vascular events. The aim of the study was to investigate association between serum GGT and concentrations of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in severe obese women and to correlate these parameters with adiposity measures in these women.

Patients and methods: We investigated 31 obese women (mean age 34.60±1.40 years; mean BMI 36.10±0.96 kg/m²; mean waist 106.33±2.34 cm). CRP (5.06±0.75 mg/l) and serum GGT (24.58±4.32 mg /l), fasting glucose (5.27±0.11 mmol/l), fasting insulin (17.89±1.40 mU/l) were measured in all women.

Results: There was no correlation between GGT and BMI, waist, fasting glucose, fasting insulin. Also, there was no correlation between CRP and fasting glucose, neither between CRP and fasting insulin, BMI, waist circumference, but there was significant correlation between CRP and GGT (r=0.735, P<0.001).

Conclusions: Our data confirmed significant correlation between GGT and CRP in obese women. The strong association of serum GGT and CRP in obese women suggests their possible relationship and further studies are necessary to elucidate the association between oxidative stress and inflammation in obesity.