Relationship between ghrelin, Helicobacter pylori and gastric mucosal atrophy in hemodialysis patients

Table 4 Relationship between endoscopic gastric mucosal atrophy and plasma ghrelin level

Mucosal atrophy	Non-atrophy	Mild atrophy	Moderate atrophy	Severe atrophy	P value
Number	32	15	29	32
Male/female (n/n)	19/13	10/5	19/10	20/12	0.969
Age (yr)	67.5 ± 11.8	64.5 ± 12.3	71.9 ± 10.9	69.3 ± 10.0	0.293
Body weight (kg)	50.7 ± 12.0	53.6 ± 10.5	50.6 ± 11.4	51.5 ± 11.4	0.708
BMI (kg/m2)	19.9 ± 3.4	20.3 ± 2.8	20.1 ± 3.6	20.6 ± 3.9	0.896
Albumin (g/dL)	3.5 ± 0.3	3.5 ± 0.3	3.3 ± 0.4	3.4 ± 0.5	0.351
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)	166.4 ± 34.8	159.9 ± 34.9	153.6 ± 37.5	151.4 ± 40.4	0.510
Cholinesterase (U/L)	246.0 ± 104.3	250.5 ± 77.7	201.9 ± 59.3	218.6 ± 77.6	0.283
Acyl-ghrelin (fmol/mL)	39.4 ± 22.2	24.5 ± 23.1a	20.2 ± 14.9a	18.3 ± 11.8a	< 0.001
Desacyl-ghrelin (fmol/mL)	345.7 ± 183.7	276.1 ± 169.4	212.6 ± 129.4a	196.8 ± 104.4a	< 0.001
Pepsinogen I (ng/mL)	525.9 ± 316.6	461.9 ± 330.3	284.2 ± 207.3a	181.0 ± 198.8a	< 0.001
Pepsinogen II (ng/mL)	45.9 ± 23.8	49.3 ± 32.0	45.8 ± 40.8	36.3 ± 31.6	0.120
Pepsinogen I/II	11.6 ± 4.7	10.0 ± 4.6	6.9 ± 3.4a	5.3 ± 3.3a	< 0.001

^aP < 0.05 vs the non-atrophy group. Values are presented as mean ± SD. BMI: Body mass index.