PLASMINOGEN-ACTIVATOR INHIBITOR-1 ANTIGEN LEVELS ARE RELATED TO GAMMA-GLUTAMYL-TRANSFERASE IN HYPERLIPIDEMIC WOMEN

Background and Aim: It has been recently suggested that the major corr elates of plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor I (PAI-I) activity mi ght be different in normal men and women. We had found a significant i ndependent correlation between gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and PA I-1 levels in hyperlipidaemic men, bur it was Mot known whether this r elationship occurred in hyperlipidaemic women. Methods and Results: We therefore investigated the relationship between PAI-1 levels and insu lin sensitivity GGT and serum lipid levels in middle-aged non diabetic hyperlipidaemic men (n = 47) and women (n = 41). insulin sensitivity was estimated from fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels with the fasting insulin resistance index (FIRI). In univariate analyses, PAI-I correlated significantly and positively with BMI (r = 0.46, p < 0.001 and r = 0.50, p < 0.001), triglyceride (r = 0.29, p < 0.05 and r = 0. 52, p < 0.001), FIRI (r = 0.57, p < 0.001 and r = 0.60, p < 0.001), an d GGT (r = 0.33, p < 0.05 and r = 0.52, p < 0.001) in both men and wom en respectively. In women PAI-I antigen levels correlated inversely wi th serum HDL-cholesterol levels (r = -0.52, p < 0.001) whereas no sign ificant correlation was observed in men (r = 0.05, p = NS). Among all these parameters, only FIRI and GGT in men and FIRI, GGT and HDL-chole sterol in women were significantly and independently correlated with P AI-I levels. Conclusions: We confirm our early studies in men and find that in women GGT is also strongly and independently correlated with PAI-I levels. Our results suggest that liver and insulin resistance ma y play a central role in the elevation of PAI-I levels. However; the p recise mechanism by which the liver contributes to the increase of PAI -I levels requires further investigation. (C) 1997, Medikal Press.