Abstract 18344: Smoking Worsens the Risk of Oxidative Stress in Individuals With Hepatic Steatosis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Serum gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) is a marker of increased oxidative stress and also associated with an increased cardiovascular (CV) risks. The oxidative stress effect of smoking may be aggravated individuals with hepatic steatosis (HS). We aimed to ascertain the effect of smoking on GGT levels in the presence or absence of HS. METHODS: We evaluated 6,373 healthy Brazilian subjects (43±10 years, 79% males) without clinical coronary heart disease between November 2008 and July 2010. HS was ultrasound diagnosed and smoking was categorized as current smokers or none smokers. RESULTS: The prevalence of NAFLD was 36% (n=2,075) and 564 (9%) were smokers. There was an increasing prevalence of smokers in higher GGT quartiles (q1-19%, q2-24%, q3-25%, q4-32%, p<0.001). As shown in figure below, smoking was associated significantly with higher GGT levels in smokers with HS (p<0.001), whereas no such association was noted among those without HS. In multivariate adjusted model, mean GGT was 11.08 mg/dl higher as compared to non-smoker among those with HS, whereas no such relationship was observed in those without HS. Overall the interaction of HS and smoking for prediction of GGT levels as marker of oxidative stress was statistically significant Conclusions: In this cohort of asymptomatic individuals, smoking significantly raised oxidative stress as measured by GGT level among persons with hepatic steatosis. This suggests smoking worsens the CV risk in individuals with HS. Future studies to ascertain this association is imperative, and may provide a much needed boast to emphasize lifestyle modification among HS individuals.