Introduction:
Gamma-glutamyltransferase(GGT) plays a catalytic role in degradation of glutathione. Serum GGT is accepted as a marker of oxidative stress.The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between serum GGT levels and epicardial adipose tissue (EFT) thickness, carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) measurements in patients with psoriasis.
Methods:
The study population included 89 patients with psoriasis and 79 healthy volunteers. After overnight fasting, blood samples were taken for to determine blood glucose levels and establishing cholesterol profiles including TG, TC, LDL cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol; GGT; and high- sensitivity C-reaktive protein (hs-CRP) levels. A high-resolution B-mode ultrasound machine (Toshiba, aplio XU) with a 7.5 MHz linear transducer used for examing CIMT.The right common carotid artery (CCA), approximately 1 cm proximal to the bifurcation, was longitudinally selected and CIMT was defined as the distance between the intima and the media.
Results:
89 patients with psoriasis (age:41.7±10.9 years;41 women, 48 men), and 71 healthy control subjects (age:40.4±8.2 years;39 women, 32 men) were included. There were no significant variation for age and sex between two groups(p>0.05).The hs-CRP and GGT values were significantly higher in psoriasis, compared with the controls (hs-CRP:1.35(0.9-3.6)mg/l for psoriasis group, 0.45(0.29-0.79)mg/l for control group, p<0.001; GGT:20.6±9.6 U/l for psoriasis group, 16.7±8.0 U/l for control group, p=0.02. In psoriatic patients, CIMT and EFT were significantly inreased (0.60(0.50-0.68)mm vs. 0.50 (0.40-0.60)mm;p=0.007, 0.67±0.20cm; 0.27±0.12cm; p<0.001, respectively) compared with the control group. CIMT significantly positively correlated with EFT, age, BMI, diastolic BP and GGT.EFT significantly positively correlated with GGT, CIMT, age, hs-CRP, systolic BP and TG and negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol.
Discussion:
The pathophysiology of atherosclerosis in psoriasis is not fully explained.GGT may be used as an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis like CRP.