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.