Ghrelin in Chronic Kidney Disease,NAGWA F. KANDIL, ZEINAB A. YOSRY, NAGWA ABD EL-GHAFFAR, LAMYAA I. AHMED and HALA N. SELIM
Abstract
Background: Chronic kidney disease is characterized by a progressive course with ongoing loss of kidney function. Ghrelin is a hormone involved in the regulation of food ingestion and energy metabolism. Derangement in ghrelin secretion in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) has not been fully evaluated.
Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of total plasma ghrelin in CRF patients in comparison with a group of persons as a normal control.
Study design: Eighty CRF patients classified into 2 groups: GI: 40 patients on regular hemodialysis and GII: 20 patients on conservative treatment in comparison to 20 normal control (GIII). For all studied groups complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, renal function tests, sodium, potassium, liver function tests, lipid profile, fasting blood glucose, fasting serum insulin and fasting plasma ghrelin were performed.
Results: There was highly statistically increase in total plasma ghrelin in CRF patients which was marked in GI patients and moderate in GII patients compared with GIII. A highly statistically increase in serum insulin in CRF patients which was marked in GI and moderate in GII patients compared with GIII was found. There was a significant positive corre-lation between plasma ghrelin and disease duration and insulin in both patients groups. Also, there was a significant positive correlation between plasma ghrelin and creatinine in GII patients.
Conclusion: We conclude that ghrelin contributes to metabolic abnormalities of uremia. Ghrelin represents a crucial endocrine link connecting physiological processes regulating nutrition, body composition and growth. We recommend the use of exogenous ghrelin as a therapy to improve appetite in these patients.