Association between dyslipidemia and elevated liver enzymes: A cross-sectional study from the PERSIAN Guilan cohort study

Dyslipidemia is associated with several health complications that put a heavy burden on the healthcare system and society due to its adverse outcomes. Abnormal lipid profile is known to cause complications in hepatic systems. The aim of this study was to examine the associations of elevated liver enzymes with dyslipidemia and its components in the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies (PERSIAN) Guilan Cohort study (PGCS) population. This cross-sectional study was conducted on data from 10,520 participants in PGCS, Guilan province, Iran. The demographic data and clinical characteristics of the participants were recorded. Lipid profile of the participants, including total cholesterol (Chol), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL); and liver enzymes levels including alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT, AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 16 based on a significant level < 0.05. Of 10,520 participants, 53.6 % ( n = 5633) were female, and 36.6 % were aged 45–54. The mean BMI of the participants was 28.14 kg/m 2 . The prevalence of alcohol consumption, fatty liver disease, hepatitis, lipid-lowering medication use, and hepatotoxic drug use were 13.3 %, 0.6 %, 0.3 %, 15.1 %, and 16.5 %, respectively. Abnormal levels of Chol, TG, LDL, HDL, ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP were reported in 40.3 %, 43.1 %, 29.0 %,41.5 %, 19.4 %, 4.6 %, 11.6 %, and 5.1 % individuals, respectively. Dyslipidemia significantly increased the likelihood of elevated ALT, AST, and GGT ( P < 0.05), but showed no statistically significant association with elevated ALP ( P > 0.05). High Chol, TG, and LDL were strongly associated with elevated liver enzymes, particularly ALT and GGT, while low HDL was less impactful. These results underscore the significant impact of lipid abnormalities on liver function tests, especially for ALT and GGT. • Dyslipidemia is a major public‑health issue, causing serious complications and heavy strain on healthcare systems. • Abnormal lipid profiles are linked to liver complications, highlighting the need to study lipid–liver relationships. • High total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL were strongly associated with raised ALT and GGT. • The study shows lipid abnormalities significantly impact liver function, especially ALT and GGT levels. • These findings stress monitoring and managing dyslipidemia to prevent possible liver complications.