BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ghrelin is a novel endogenous ligand for the growth hormone (GH) secretagogue receptor involved in energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis and food intake. We investigated the role of ghrelin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), the mediator of the GH axis, in patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD). METHODS: Ghrelin and IGF-1 serum levels were determined in 105 CLD patients and 97 healthy controls and correlated with clinical and biochemical parameters. RESULTS: Ghrelin was significantly elevated and IGF-1 reduced in CLD patients compared with healthy controls. IGF-1 serum levels inversely correlated with Child's classification. Ghrelin levels were significantly elevated in Child C cirrhosis patients independent of the aetiology of liver disease. Ghrelin levels did not correlate with liver function. In contrast, there was a correlation of ghrelin with clinical (gastrointestinal bleeding, ascites, encephalopathy) and biochemical (anaemia, inflammatory markers, hypoglycaemia, renal dysfunction) parameters. In a subgroup of patients with CLD and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we observed a strong inverse correlation between alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and ghrelin levels. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike IGF-1, ghrelin is not correlated with liver function, but increases in Child C cirrhosis and with complications of CLD. The inverse correlation with AFP in HCC patients requires further studies on the potential impact of ghrelin on the pathogenesis of anorexia-cachexia syndrome.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ghrelin is a novel endogenous ligand for the growth hormone (GH) secretagogue receptor involved in energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis and food intake. We investigated the role of ghrelin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), the mediator of the GH axis, in patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD). METHODS:Ghrelin and IGF-1 serum levels were determined in 105 CLD patients and 97 healthy controls and correlated with clinical and biochemical parameters. RESULTS:Ghrelin was significantly elevated and IGF-1 reduced in CLD patients compared with healthy controls. IGF-1 serum levels inversely correlated with Child's classification. Ghrelin levels were significantly elevated in Child C cirrhosispatients independent of the aetiology of liver disease. Ghrelin levels did not correlate with liver function. In contrast, there was a correlation of ghrelin with clinical (gastrointestinal bleeding, ascites, encephalopathy) and biochemical (anaemia, inflammatory markers, hypoglycaemia, renal dysfunction) parameters. In a subgroup of patients with CLD and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we observed a strong inverse correlation between alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and ghrelin levels. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike IGF-1, ghrelin is not correlated with liver function, but increases in Child C cirrhosis and with complications of CLD. The inverse correlation with AFP in HCCpatients requires further studies on the potential impact of ghrelin on the pathogenesis of anorexia-cachexia syndrome.
Authors: Josh D Woolley; Baber K Khan; Alamelu Natesan; Anna Karydas; Mary Dallman; Peter Havel; Bruce L Miller; Katherine P Rankin Journal: Neurology Date: 2014-01-10 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Henning W Zimmermann; Sebastian Seidler; Jacob Nattermann; Nikolaus Gassler; Claus Hellerbrand; Alma Zernecke; Jens J W Tischendorf; Tom Luedde; Ralf Weiskirchen; Christian Trautwein; Frank Tacke Journal: PLoS One Date: 2010-06-10 Impact factor: 3.240
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Authors: Frank Tacke; Erwin Gäbele; Frauke Bataille; Robert F Schwabe; Claus Hellerbrand; Frank Klebl; Rainer H Straub; Tom Luedde; Michael P Manns; Christian Trautwein; David A Brenner; Jürgen Schölmerich; Bernd Schnabl Journal: Dig Dis Sci Date: 2007-04-06 Impact factor: 3.199