Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase and C-Reactive Protein in Essential Hypertension

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is known to be one of the major causes of the global burden of many diseases. It is proving to be a critical medical and public health issue. Previous studies have drawn inconsistent conclusions about the risk of hypertension and its association with gamma-glutamyl transferase and C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is a marker of systemic inflammation and has been postulated to increase the risk of hypertension. Gamma-glutamyl transferase catalyzes the transfer of gamma-glutamyl functional groups from molecules such as glutathione to an acceptor that may be an amino acid, a peptide, or water. This study was undertaken to evaluate gamma-glutamyl transferase and CRP in essential hypertension and determine the association of these parameters with hypertension, if any. Materials and Methods: A total of 104 subjects (52 hypertensive cases and 52 healthy controls) between the ages of 30 and 50 were recruited after imposing certain inclusion and exclusion criteria. Gamma-glutamyl transferase and CRP were estimated using commercially available kits. All the data were tested at a 5% level of significance. Results: Mean levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase and CRP were found to be significantly increased in patients with essential hypertension compared to controls. Elevated levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase and CRP are associated with oxidative stress and inflammation, which are in turn considered to be major factors involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study suggests that gamma-glutamyl transferase and C-reactive protein are independently associated with hypertension.

Keywords

• c-reactive protein
• gamma-glutamyl transferase
• hypertension