Department of Digestive Disease Information & Research, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan; Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan.
Liver Int. 2013 Nov;33(10):1510-6. doi: 10.1111/liv.12235. Epub 2013 Jun 28.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Metabolic disorders are frequently seen in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. Ghrelin, a gut hormone, regulates hepatic metabolisms, and must be activated to exert its biological effects. The aims of this study were to investigate changes in plasma active ghrelin levels and identify independent factors associated with plasma active ghrelin levels in HCV-infected patients.
We enrolled patients with HCV infection (n = 96), hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (n = 49), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD; n = 20) and healthy subjects (CON; n = 16). Plasma active ghrelin levels were measured using ELISA. Factors associated with plasma active ghrelin levels were assessed by multivariate and Spearman's correlation analyses.
Plasma active ghrelin levels were significantly lower in relation to the severity of liver disease in both the HBV and HCV groups. Furthermore, HCV infection was identified as an independent factor associated with decreased plasma active ghrelin levels in the multivariate analysis (OR -3.05; 95% CI -0.93 to -19.51; P = 0.0192). Plasma active ghrelin levels were significantly correlated with serum albumin levels in the HCV group (ρ = 0.497, P < 0.0001).
We demonstrated that liver cirrhosis and HCV infection were independent factors associated plasma active ghrelin levels. Moreover, plasma active ghrelin levels were positively correlated with serum albumin levels among HCV-infected patients. Therefore, active ghrelin levels may be regulated by both progression of liver disease and HCV infection and could be involved in the regulation of serum albumin levels in HCV-infected patients.
代谢紊乱在丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染患者中较为常见。胃饥饿素是一种肠道激素，调节肝脏代谢，必须被激活才能发挥其生物学效应。本研究旨在探讨HCV 感染患者血浆活性胃饥饿素水平的变化，并确定与血浆活性胃饥饿素水平相关的独立因素。
我们纳入了 HCV 感染患者（n=96）、乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）感染患者（n=49）、非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD；n=20）和健康对照者（CON；n=16）。采用 ELISA 法检测血浆活性胃饥饿素水平。采用多元和 Spearman 相关分析评估与血浆活性胃饥饿素水平相关的因素。
HBV 和 HCV 组患者的血浆活性胃饥饿素水平均随肝病严重程度的增加而显著降低。此外，多元分析确定 HCV 感染是与降低的血浆活性胃饥饿素水平相关的独立因素（OR-3.05；95%CI-0.93 至-19.51；P=0.0192）。HCV 组患者的血浆活性胃饥饿素水平与血清白蛋白水平显著相关（ρ=0.497，P＜0.0001）。
我们证实肝硬化和 HCV 感染是与血浆活性胃饥饿素水平相关的独立因素。此外，HCV 感染患者的血浆活性胃饥饿素水平与血清白蛋白水平呈正相关。因此，活性胃饥饿素水平可能受肝病进展和 HCV 感染的双重调节，并可能参与 HCV 感染患者血清白蛋白水平的调节。
