July - September 2015, Volume 11, Issue 3

Razzaghy-Azar M, Latifi M, Ilbeygi D, Larijani B, Nourbakhsh M

Total and Acylated Ghrelin Levels in Children and Adolescents with Idiopathic Short Stature and Poor Appetite

Acta Endo (Buc) 2015, 11 (3): 401-406
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2015.401

Context. Ghrelin is a hormone secreted primarily from stomach that can affect growth by its somatotropic and orexigenic activities. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of ghrelin and growth in children and adolescents with idiopathic short stature. Subjects and Methods. After thorough clinical examination, 56 subjects including 31 with normal weight and height and 25 with short stature were evaluated for fasting total (TG) and acylated (active) ghrelin (AG) levels. All the parameters of growth including growth hormone and IGF-1 levels, bone age and body mass index were also investigated. Appetite was also assessed and all the studied subjects were also divided into two groups, poor or good appetite. Results. TG and AG levels were not significantly different in the two groups. There was not any significant correlation between ghrelin and parameters of growth. On the other hand, TG concentration was significantly higher in subjects with poor appetite, but AG was not significantly different. Conclusions. The results of this study show that ghrelin is not significantly altered in idiopathic short stature. Although TG is increased in children with poor appetite its acylation is not increased concomitantly.

Keywords: ghrelin, growth, short stature, appetite

Correspondence: Mitra Nourbakhsh MD, Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, 1449614535, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, E-mail: mitra.nourbakhsh@gmail.com