# Association Between Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase Levels and Angiographic Severity of Coronary Artery Disease in Patients With Chronic Coronary Syndrome

## TL;DR

Higher levels of a blood enzyme called GGT are linked to more severe heart artery disease in patients with chronic heart issues.

## Contribution

This study shows that GGT levels correlate with the severity of coronary artery disease in chronic coronary syndrome patients.

## Key findings

- GGT levels were significantly higher in patients with severe coronary artery disease.
- GGT levels strongly correlated with the number of affected heart arteries and disease severity scores.

## Abstract

Background: Chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) is a common clinical manifestation of coronary artery disease (CAD) resulting from an imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand, most often due to atherosclerotic obstruction. Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), a biomarker of oxidative stress, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and may correlate with the severity of CAD.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between serum GGT levels and the angiographic severity of CAD in patients with CCS.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology, Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), formerly known as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from October 2019 to September 2020. A total of 50 patients with CCS who underwent coronary angiography were included. Participants were divided into two groups: Group A (25 patients with severe CAD, Gensini score ≥36) and Group B (25 patients with normal coronary arteries, Gensini score <36). Serum GGT levels were measured in the Department of Biochemistry, and angiographic severity was assessed using the Gensini scoring system. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS, version 23.0; IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY).

Results: The mean serum GGT level was significantly higher in Group A (64.28 ± 14.36 U/L) than in Group B (32.80 ± 5.04 U/L) (p = 0.001). A strong positive correlation was found between GGT level and both the number of affected vessels (r = 0.758, p = 0.001) and the Gensini score (r = 0.923, p = 0.001), indicating that higher GGT levels were associated with greater angiographic severity of CAD.

Conclusion: Serum GGT level showed a significant positive correlation with the angiographic severity of CAD in patients with CCS, suggesting its potential role as a biomarker for disease severity and risk stratification.