Association between liver enzymes and metabolic syndrome: a study in Bangladeshi adults

ABSTRACT

Background

This study aimed to investigate the association between serum liver enzymes and the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Bangladeshi adults.

Research design and methods

A total of 602 participants (424 males and 178 females) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Serum levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, GGT and ALP) and other biochemical parameters were measured by standard colorimetric methods. The relationship between liver enzymes and MetS was assessed by multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

Overall, the prevalence of MetS was 34.9% among the participants. Of the four liver enzymes, the mean levels of serum ALT and GGT were significantly higher among subjects with MetS than those without MetS (p < 0.01). When liver enzyme levels were categorized into normal and elevated ranges, MetS and its component’s prevalence was higher in the elevated group except for ALP. Serum ALT and GGT showed a significant relationship with the maximum components of MetS. According to the logistic regression analysis, elevated levels of ALT and GGT were significantly associated with the prevalence of MetS (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

This study showed that elevated ALT and GGT levels were independently associated with MetS and its components.

KEYWORDS:

• Liver enzymes
• metabolic syndrome
• prevalence
• association
• Bangladesh

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all participants for actively participating and cooperating in the study.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a grant from the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Research Centre (LS/2021/1/04).