Beyond Obesity: Investigating the Link Between Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase and Diabetes Markers in an Elderly Cohort.
- IJGPR.Com
- May 24
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 23-29
Dr. Awantika Sunitha, Assistant Professor, Department of General Medicine, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College & Hospital, Tamilnadu
Abstract
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses a significant health risk in the elderly, with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) being a common comorbidity. Gamma glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), a marker of liver dysfunction, has been linked to insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes, but its relationship with insulin secretion phases (first-phase insulin secretion [FPIS], second-phase insulin secretion [SPIS]) and glucose effectiveness (GE) in elderly nonobese individuals remains unclear. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 10,933 indian individuals (≥ 65 years) without obesity. Participants were stratified by metabolic syndrome (MetS) status and γ-GT quartiles. IR, FPIS, SPIS, and GE were calculated using established equations. Pearson correlation analysis and statistical models were employed to assess associations. Results: MetS was present in 1,562 participants, who exhibited higher IR, FPIS, SPIS, and γ GT levels, and lower GE, compared to those without MetS. Elevated γ-GT levels were significantly associated with MetS components and increased IR, FPIS, and SPIS, while showing a negative correlation with GE. GE demonstrated the strongest inverse correlation with γ-GT (r = -0.198 for men, -0.158 for women), followed by positive correlations with IR, SPIS, and FPIS. Conclusions: γ-GT is significantly associated with key diabetes factors in elderly nonobese Chinese individuals. Notably, GE showed the strongest inverse correlation with γ-GT, suggesting a potential role for γ-GT in glucose metabolism beyond insulin resistance. These findings warrant further investigation into the clinical implications of γ-GT in predicting and managing diabetes risk in this population.
Keywords: gamma-glutamyl transferase, glucose effectiveness, insulin resistance, first-phase insulin secretion, second-phase insulin secretion, elderly.