Can serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) predict all-cause mortality in hypertensive patients?
Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase, a cohort study (Cureus 2024, PMID 39347158) — during a median follow-up of 13.9 years, 716 deaths occurred (360 men, 356 women), with a mortality rate of 25.5 deaths per 1,000 person-years. The abstract for Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase states no limitations.
Source: Cureus 2024, PMID 39347158 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: medium
Cureus · 2024 · PMID 39347158 · DOI 10.7759/cureus.68247
Higher serum GGT levels are associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in hypertensive men.
The question
Can serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) predict all-cause mortality in hypertensive patients?
What they tested
The study hypothesized that serum GGT levels would be associated with all-cause mortality in hypertensive patients.
How they did it
The study analyzed 1,101 female (average age 69 years) and 916 male (average age 67 years) hypertensive participants from the Nomura cohort study. Participants were followed for a median of 13.9 years, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios for mortality risk.
What they found
During a median follow-up of 13.9 years, 716 deaths occurred (360 men, 356 women), with a mortality rate of 25.5 deaths per 1,000 person-years. Male participants with serum GGT levels of 42-86 IU/L had a 64% increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.64), and those with GGT levels of 87 IU/L or higher had a 93% elevated risk (HR: 1.93) compared to men with GGT levels below 19 IU/L. This association was more pronounced in men than in women, with a significant interaction between gender and baseline serum GGT (p = 0.020).
| GGT 42-86 IU/L | 64 | |
|---|---|---|
| GGT ">= 87 IU/L" | 93 |
Compared to men with GGT levels below 19 IU/L, those with GGT levels of 42-86 IU/L had a 64% increased risk of all-cause mortality, and those with GGT levels of 87 IU/L or higher had a 93% increased risk.
What it means
Irregular GGT levels are notably correlated with overall mortality in Japanese individuals with hypertension. GGT activity is a critical biomarker for predicting long-term survival, especially in older males.
Limitations
The abstract does not explicitly state any limitations of the study.
Where the published abstract does not list limitations, we say so rather than inventing them. Read the full paper on PubMed before drawing conclusions.
The paper at a glance
| Title | Can Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase Predict All-Cause Mortality in Hypertensive Patients? |
|---|---|
| Journal | Cureus |
| Year | 2024 |
| PMID | 39347158 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.7759/cureus.68247 ↗ |
| Topic | Pain, nerves & musculoskeletal medicine |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
Where Magellan uses this paper
This citation sits behind the evidence grade on the pages below. Grades are set from the research and are independent of affiliate commissions.
GGT Liver-Health Test
Large prospective cohorts and meta-analyses consistently link higher serum GGT, even within the reference range, to increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, incident hypertension, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and fatty liver, and some cancers, associations frequently interpreted through GGT's…
Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a cell-surface enzyme found mainly in the liver that initiates the…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). Can serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) predict all-cause mortality in hypertensive patients? [Plain-English summary of Cureus 2024, PMID 39347158, DOI 10.7759/cureus.68247]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d39347158.html@misc{magellan_d39347158,
title = {Can serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) predict all-cause mortality in hypertensive patients?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d39347158.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 39347158; DOI 10.7759/cureus.68247; Cureus 2024. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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