Serum levels of ghrelin, leptin, IGF-I, IGFBP-3, insulin, thyroid hormones and cortisol in prepubertal children with iron deficiency.

The aim of the present study is to investigate possible alterations in ghrelin and other hormone levels related to appetite and somatic growth in children with iron deficiency anemia. Twenty-five patients and 25 healthy controls that were prepubertal and within normal limits regarding height and BMI standard deviation scores were recruited. Ghrelin, leptin, IGF-I, IGFBP-3, insulin, thyroid hormones and cortisol levels were studied. Ghrelin, insulin and IGF-I levels were significantly low in the study group (ghrelin 13.58 +/- 16.32 vs. 35.39 +/- 23.69 ng/ml, p<.001; insulin 3.41 +/- 2.42 vs. 5.67 +/- 1.09 mU/ml, p = .008 and IGF-I 126.94 +/- 92.82 vs. 203 +/- 105.1 ng/ml, p = .015). We concluded that low ghrelin and insulin levels might be causes of the appetite loss in iron deficiency and as a result of appetite loss and undernutrition as well as by direct effects they might be related with growth retardation, which could be also influenced by low IGF-I levels.