Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase activity has no prognostic value in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Lee, Jang Hoon; Chae, Shung Chull; Lee, Hyun Sang; Park, Yongwhi; Ryu, Hyeon Min; Lee, Soon Hak; Bae, Myung Hwan; Yang, Dong Heon; Park, Hun Sik; Cho, Yongkeun; Jun, Jae Eun; Park, Wee Hyun

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase activity (GGT) is able to catalyse low-density lipoprotein oxidation in coronary atherosclerotic plaques and has a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. GGT has been shown to be an independent risk factor for cardiac mortality in patients with a previous myocardial infarction. The purpose of this study is to determine the prognostic value of GGT within its normal range at an acute stage in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
METHODS
In a retrospective study, GGT and other cardiac risk factors were evaluated in 192 patients (M/F=143/49; mean age: 60.8+/-11.8 years) who were diagnosed with an acute myocardial infarction at the emergency room. We compared the serum GGT values for each patient with or without a cardiac event, including cardiac death, non-fetal myocardial infarction and unstable angina, after an acute myocardial infarction for a mean follow-up of 16.5+/-10.8 months.
RESULTS
During the follow-up period, 17 patients underwent cardiac death and experienced an acute myocardial infarction and 23 patients had unstable angina. Although the mean GGT values were significantly different from patients with cardiac events (29.5+/-10.0 U/L vs 25.0+/-11.2 U/L, p=0.024), serum GGT was not an independent cardiac risk factor for a cardiac event based on multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, alcohol and known cardiovascular risk factors.
CONCLUSIONS
Serum GGT within its normal range at an acute stage in patients that experienced an acute myocardial infarction is not an independent prognostic marker.