Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. May 14, 2012; 18(18): 2231-2237
Published online May 14, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i18.2231
Plasma levels of acylated ghrelin in patients with functional dyspepsia
Yeon Soo Kim, Joon Seong Lee, Tae Hee Lee, Joo Young Cho, Jin Oh Kim, Wan Jung Kim, Hyun Gun Kim, Seong Ran Jeon, Hoe Su Jeong
Joon Seong Lee, Tae Hee Lee, Joo Young Cho, Jin Oh Kim, Wan Jung Kim, Hyun Gun Kim, Seong Ran Jeon, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul 140-743, South Korea
Yeon Soo Kim, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Gangwon-do 200-704, South Korea
Hoe Su Jeong, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-792, South Korea
Author contributions: Kim YS contributed to data analysis and interpretation and the drafting of the article; Jeong HS performed the majority of the experiments; Lee JS was involved in experimental conception and design, data analysis and interpretation, critical revision of the article for content, and final article approval; Lee TH, Cho JY, Kim JO, Kim WJ, Kim HG, Jeon SR worked with study patients and provided administrative, technical and logistic support.
Correspondence to: Dr. Joon Seong Lee, Department of Internal Medicine, SoonChunHyang University College of Medicine, SoonChunHyang University Hospital, 22 Daesagwan-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 140-743, South Korea. joonlee@schmc.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-2-7099202 Fax: +82-2-7099696
Received: June 1, 2011
Revised: September 20, 2011
Accepted: March 10, 2012
Published online: May 14, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the relationship between plasma acylated ghrelin levels and the pathophysiology of functional dyspepsia.

METHODS: Twenty-two female patients with functional dyspepsia and twelve healthy volunteers were recruited for the study. The functional dyspepsia patients were each diagnosed based on the Rome III criteria. Eligible patients completed a questionnaire concerning the severity of 10 symptoms. Plasma acylated ghrelin levels before and after a meal were determined in the study participants using a commercial human acylated enzyme immunoassay kit; electrogastrograms were performed for 50 min before and after a standardized 10-min meal containing 265 kcal.

RESULTS: There were no significant differences in plasma acylated ghrelin levels between healthy volunteers and patients with functional dyspepsia. However, in patients with functional dyspepsia, there was a negative correlation between fasting plasma acylated ghrelin levels and the sum score of epigastric pain (r = -0.427, P = 0.047) and a positive correlation between the postprandial/fasting plasma acylated ghrelin ratio and the sum score of early satiety (r = 0.428, P =0.047). Additionally, there was a negative correlation between fasting acylated ghrelin plasma levels and fasting normogastria (%) (r = -0.522, P = 0.013). Interestingly, two functional dyspepsia patients showed paradoxically elevated plasma acylated ghrelin levels after the meal.

CONCLUSION: Abnormal plasma acylated ghrelin levels before or after a meal may be related to several of the dyspeptic symptoms seen in patients with functional dyspepsia.

Keywords: Functional dyspepsia, Acylated ghrelin, Electrogastrogram, Rome III criteria, Dyspeptic symptoms