Gamma glutamyltransferase and risk of future dementia in middle-aged to older Finnish men: A new prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION We assessed the association of gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) with risk of dementia. METHODS Serum GGT activity was assessed at baseline in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease prospective cohort of 2415 relatively healthy men with good cognitive function. Correction was made for within-person variability in GGT levels. RESULTS During an average follow-up of 22 years, 219 new cases of dementia were recorded. Serum GGT was log-linearly associated with risk of dementia. The hazard ratio (HR) (95% CIs) for dementia per 1 standard deviation (SD) higher baseline loge GGT values was 1.33 (95% CI = 1.14-1.55) after adjustment for several established and emerging risk factors. The corresponding HR was 1.52 (95% CI = 1.22-1.89) after correction for within-person variability. DISCUSSION GGT is positively, log-linearly, and independently associated with future risk of dementia in the general male population. Further research is needed to unravel the mechanistic pathways of GGT in the pathogenesis of dementia.