Plasma glutathione levels are independently associated with gamma-glutamyltransferase activity in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors

To investigate whether GGT (gamma-glutamyltransferase) is associated to specific redox patterns. GGT, total and reduced aminothiols and malondialdehyde, were measured in 150 subjects (83 males, 48 (39-56) years), with none, one or more risk factors. By univariable analysis GGT was positively associated with age (p =0.001), male gender (p 0.001), risk factor number (p 0.001), ACE-inhibitors (p =0.008), anti-platelet agents (p =0.029), atherothrombotic events (p =0.001), glucose (p =0.013), malondialdehyde (p =0.029), plasma total cysteine (p =0.046) and inversely associated with plasma total glutathione (p =0.001). By multivariable analysis only male gender (p 0.001), risk factor number (p 0.001) and glutathione (p 0.001) were independently associated with GGT activity. These findings suggest that an ongoing redox imbalance, in terms of decreased plasma glutathione, is associated with raised GGT activity in subjects with a greater risk factor burden.