Abstract | OBJECTIVE:
Ghrelin, leptin, and insulin concentrations are involved in the control of food intake and they seem to be associated with anorexia- cachexia in cirrhotic patients. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the nutritional status and fasting ghrelin, leptin and insulin concentrations in pediatric cirrhotic patients. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with cirrhosis and 39 healthy controls aged 0-15 years matched by sex and age were enrolled. Severity of liver disease was assessed by Child-Pugh classification, and Pediatric for End Stage Liver Disease (PELD) or Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores. Blood samples were collected from patients and controls to assay total ghrelin, acyl ghrelin, leptin and insulin by using a commercial ELISA kit. Anthropometry parameters used were standard deviation score of height-for-age and triceps skinfold thickness-for-age ratio. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the correlation between dependent and independent variables. RESULTS:
Acyl ghrelin was significantly lower in cirrhotic patients than in controls [142 (93-278) pg/mL vs 275 (208-481) pg/mL, P=0.001]. After multiple linear regression analysis, total ghrelin and acyl ghrelin showed an inverse correlation with age; acyl ghrelin was associated with the severity of cirrhosis and des-acyl ghrelin with PELD or MELD scores ≥15. Leptin was positively correlated with gender and anthropometric parameters. Insulin was not associated with any variable. CONCLUSION:
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Authors | Cristina T L Dornelles, Helena A S Goldani, Maria Inês A Wilasco, Rafael L Maurer, Carlos O Kieling, Marilene Porowski, Cristina T Ferreira, Jorge L Santos, Sandra M G Vieira, Themis R Silveira |
Journal | Regulatory peptides
(Regul Pept)
Vol. 180
Pg. 26-32
(Jan 10 2013)
ISSN: 1873-1686 [Electronic] Netherlands |
PMID | 23142314
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Copyright | Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. |
Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Adolescent
- Case-Control Studies
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Fasting
- Female
- Ghrelin
(blood)
- Humans
- Infant
- Infant, Newborn
- Insulin
(blood)
- Leptin
(blood)
- Liver Cirrhosis
(blood, physiopathology)
- Male
- Nutritional Status
- Severity of Illness Index
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