Table 1.
Characteristics of the study subjects
| GGT (U/L) | P | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
| ≤16 | 17–23 | 24–37 | ≥38 | ||
| n | 257 | 267 | 250 | 250 | |
| Age (years) | 58.6 ± 10.1 | 57.5 ± 10.0 | 55.6 ± 9.5 | 55.1 ± 10.0 | <0.001 |
| Male gender (%) | 59 (23.0) | 109 (40.8) | 125 (50.0) | 139 (55.6) | <0.001 |
| Current smokers (%) | 25 (9.7) | 37 (13.9) | 47 (18.8) | 49 (19.6) | 0.006 |
| Alcohol (%) | 47 (18.3) | 87 (32.6) | 112 (44.8) | 122 (48.8) | <0.001 |
| Duration (years) | 9.4 (8.5–10.3) | 8.1 (7.2–9.0) | 6.7 (5.8–7.6) | 6.0 (5.1–6.9) | <0.001 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 23.9 ± 3.1 | 24.7 ± 3.4 | 25.6 ± 3.6 | 26.1 ± 3.6 | <0.001 |
| WC (cm) | 83.5 ± 9.1 | 86.1 ± 8.8 | 88.7 ± 8.8 | 90.7 ± 9.6 | <0.001 |
| FPG (mg/dL) | 146.3 ± 62.3 | 148.9 ± 56.6 | 161.5 ± 70.0 | 172.1 ± 68.9 | <0.001 |
| HbA1c (%) | 7.9 ± 2.1 | 8.0 ± 2.2 | 8.1 ± 2.2 | 8.2 ± 2.0 | 0.345 |
| HOMA-IRa | 3.9 (2.6–5.2) | 2.8 (1.6–4.1) | 3.8 (2.6–5.1) | 4.4 (3.2–5.6) | 0.353 |
| TC (mg/dL) | 169.4 ± 44.6 | 173.1 ± 40.8 | 177.7 ± 43.7 | 185.6 ± 48.6 | <0.001 |
| TG (mg/dL) | 127.1 (114.6–139.7) | 148.8 (136.3–161.2) | 170.3 (157.2–183.5) | 199.0 (185.9–212.0) | <0.001 |
| HDL-C (mg/dL) | 48.1 ± 11.4 | 46.6 ± 12.1 | 46.0 ± 11.9 | 45.6 ± 11.5 | 0.111 |
| LDL-C (mg/dL) | 106.5 ± 33.4 | 105.2 ± 34.5 | 110.8 ± 32.7 | 117.3 ± 37.6 | <0.001 |
| Uric acid (mg/dL) | 4.8 ± 1.3 | 4.9 ± 1.4 | 5.2 ± 1.5 | 5.3 ± 1.5 | 0.007 |
| AST (U/L) | 20.6 ± 5.7 | 22.6 ± 7.4 | 25.3 ± 9.6 | 31.1 ± 13.5 | <0.001 |
| ALT (U/L) | 17.8 ± 8.0 | 22.9 ± 12.2 | 28.2 ± 14.3 | 36.3 ± 18.5 | <0.001 |
| eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 101.8 ± 32.4 | 99.0 ± 28.2 | 101.2 ± 27.4 | 106.9 ± 29.5 | 0.021 |
| SBP (mmHg) | 129.6 ± 19.3 | 129.4 ± 17.0 | 129.1 ± 16.8 | 132.4 ± 16.9 | 0.264 |
| DBP (mmHg) | 76.5 ± 10.5 | 77.7 ± 10.1 | 78.7 ± 9.4 | 80.3 ± 10.3 | <0.001 |
| Usage of medication (%) | |||||
| Insulin | 72 (28.0) | 59 (22.1) | 53 (21.2) | 38 (17.1) | 0.006 |
| Anti-platelet agent | 101 (39.3) | 100 (37.5) | 83 (33.2) | 80 (32.0) | 0.264 |
| CCB | 53 (20.6) | 59 (22.1) | 59 (23.6) | 46 (18.4) | 0.529 |
| ACEI/ARB | 93 (36.2) | 84 (61.5) | 95 (38.0) | 85 (34.0) | 0.436 |
| Beta blocker | 23 (9.0) | 19 (7.1) | 22 (8.8) | 20 (8.0) | 0.864 |
| Statin | 92 (35.8) | 104 (39.0) | 117 (46.8) | 89 (35.6) | 0.034 |
| baPWV (cm/s) | 1583 ± 338 | 1578 ± 329 | 1518 ± 322 | 1556 ± 323 | 0.102 |
| IMT (mm) | 0.65 ± 0.14 | 0.65 ± 0.14 | 0.67 ± 0.15 | 0.66 ± 0.14 | 0.663 |
| Carotid plaque (%) | 0.984 | ||||
| Grade 0 | 161 (62.7) | 168 (62.9) | 156 (62.4) | 150 (60.0) | |
| Grade 1 | 23 (9.0) | 22 (8.2) | 16 (6.4) | 22 (8.8) | |
| Grade 2 | 46 (17.9) | 46 (17.2) | 44 (17.6) | 51 (20.4) | |
| Grade 3 | 25 (9.7) | 29 (10.9) | 32 (12.8) | 26 (10.4) | |
| Grade 4 | 2 (0.8) | 2 (0.8) | 2 (0.8) | 1 (0.4) | |
Data are means ± SD or numbers (percentage)
BMI body mass index, WC waist circumference, FPG fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c hemoglobin A1c, HOMA-IR homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, TC total cholesterol, TG triglyceride, HDL-C high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, LDL-C low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, AST aspartate aminotransferase, ALT alanine transferase, ALP alkaline phosphatase, SBP systolic blood pressure, DBP diastolic blood pressure, eGFR estimated glomerular filtration rate, CCB calcium channel blocker, ACEI/ARB angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/ angiotensin II receptor blocker, CVD cardiovascular disease, FRS Framingham Risk Score, baPWV brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, IMT intima-media thickness
aN = 505