Total and acylated ghrelin in liver cirrhosis: correlation with clinical and nutritional status

Ghrelin regulating liver activity and its potential effects on liver fibrosis and Echinococcosis

Ghrelin widely exists in the central nervous system and peripheral organs, and has biological activities such as maintaining energy homeostasis, regulating lipid metabolism, cell proliferation, immune response, gastrointestinal physiological activities, cognition, memory, circadian rhythm and reward effects. In many benign liver diseases, it may play a hepatoprotective role against steatosis, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis, and improve liver cell autophagy and immune response to improve disease progression. However, the role of Ghrelin in liver Echinococcosis is currently unclear. This review systematically summarizes the molecular mechanisms by which Ghrelin regulates liver growth metabolism, immune-inflammation, fibrogenesis, proliferation and apoptosis, as well as its protective effects in liver fibrosis diseases, and further proposes the role of Ghrelin in liver Echinococcosis infection. During the infectious process, it may promote the parasitism and survival of parasites on the host by improving the immune-inflammatory microenvironment and fibrosis state, thereby accelerating disease progression. However, there is currently a lack of targeted in vitro and in vivo experimental evidence for this viewpoint.

Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the hepatoprotective role of ghrelin against NAFLD progression

The underlying mechanisms for the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are complex and multifactorial. Within the last years, experimental and clinical evidences support the role of ghrelin in the development of NAFLD. Ghrelin is a gut hormone that plays a major role in the short-term regulation of appetite and long-term regulation of adiposity. The liver constitutes a target for ghrelin, where this gut-derived peptide triggers intracellular pathways regulating lipid metabolism, inflammation, and fibrosis. Interestingly, circulating ghrelin levels are altered in patients with metabolic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, which, in turn, are well-known risk factors for the pathogenesis of NAFLD. This review summarizes the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the hepatoprotective action of ghrelin, including the reduction of hepatocyte lipotoxicity via autophagy and fatty acid β-oxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress and programmed cell death, the reversibility of the proinflammatory phenotype in Kupffer cells, and the inactivation of hepatic stellate cells. Together, the metabolic and inflammatory pathways regulated by ghrelin in the liver support its potential as a therapeutic target to prevent NAFLD in patients with metabolic disorders.

Protein Catabolism and the Dysregulation of Energy Intake-Related Hormones May Play a Major Role in the Worsening of Malnutrition in Hospitalized Cirrhotic Patients

Malnutrition in cirrhotic patients is extremely common and has a multifactorial aetiology, whose constitutive elements have not been completely elucidated yet. Protein depletion is particularly important and an imbalance of hormones regulating hunger and satiety may be an important additive factor. The diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition are extremely important since malnutrition is associated with higher complication rates and mortality. Our observational study aimed to study protein status and energy intake-related hormone levels in a cohort of hospitalized cirrhotic patients. We enrolled 50 hospitalized and clinically stable cirrhotic patients and assessed their nutritional status with anthropometric measurements and nitrogen balance. In a subgroup of 16 patients and 10 healthy controls, circulating ghrelin and leptin levels were studied. We observed that 60% of our patients were malnourished on the basis of the mid-arm muscle circumference values; the recorded daily protein intake was tendentially insufficient (mean protein intake of 0.7 ± 0.5 g protein/kg vs. recommended intake of 1.2–1.5 g of protein/kg/die). Cirrhotic patients had lower circulating levels of both ghrelin and leptin compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, hospitalized cirrhotic patients face a catabolic state and an imbalance in hormones regulating food intake and satiety, and these elements may play a major role in the genesis and/or the worsening of malnutrition.

Serum Ghrelin Concentration in Patients With Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC)

INTRODUCTION

The appetite-modulating hormone ghrelin may have a role in the etiology of anorexia which is a serious concern in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). This study aims to assess the difference in ghrelin level between cases of PBC and healthy controls matched for age and gender, and to evaluate the level of ghrelin in relation to clinical and laboratory findings among cases.

METHODS

Twenty patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and 30 healthy controls matched by gender and age were recruited. The severity of liver disease was determined using the Child-Pugh grading system. Clinical comorbidities such as a history of ascites, gastrointestinal bleeding, and encephalopathy were evaluated. A commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure total ghrelin.  Results: PBC cases had a significantly higher average level of ghrelin (2305.3 ± 639.4) pg/mL compared to controls (682 ± 197.3) pg/mL. Furthermore, the minimum reported level in cases was 1258 pg/mL compared to 326 pg/mL in controls, while the maximum level nearly tripled the control's maximum level. In PBC patients, plasma levels of total ghrelin showed a weak positive correlation with age, an inverse correlation with body mass index, and were not associated with gender. The level was significantly higher than those in the controls. Ghrelin was associated with the severity of cirrhosis. Levels of serum ghrelin were higher in patients with associated comorbidities such as a history of ascites, gastrointestinal bleeding, and encephalopathy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated elevated serum ghrelin levels in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Serum ghrelin was associated with the degree of severity and the presence of related comorbidities. Patients with primary biliary cirrhosis remain anorexic and catabolic despite elevated ghrelin levels, suggesting tissue resistance to this anabolic peptide which could be crucial to understanding anorexia and cachexia in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Malnutrition in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Liver cirrhosis is an increasing public health threat worldwide. Malnutrition is a serious complication of cirrhosis and is associated with worse outcomes. With this review, we aim to describe the prevalence of malnutrition, pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets to treat malnutrition. Malnutrition is frequently underdiagnosed and occurs-depending on the screening methods used and patient populations studied-in 5-92% of patients. Decreased energy and protein intake, inflammation, malabsorption, altered nutrient metabolism, hypermetabolism, hormonal disturbances and gut microbiome dysbiosis can contribute to malnutrition. The stepwise diagnostic approach includes a rapid prescreen, the use of a specific screening tool, such as the Royal Free Hospital Nutritional Prioritizing Tool and a nutritional assessment by dieticians. General dietary measures-especially the timing of meals-oral nutritional supplements, micronutrient supplementation and the role of amino acids are discussed. In summary malnutrition in cirrhosis is common and needs more attention by health care professionals involved in the care of patients with cirrhosis. Screening and assessment for malnutrition should be carried out regularly in cirrhotic patients, ideally by a multidisciplinary team. Further research is needed to better clarify pathogenic mechanisms such as the role of the gut-liver-axis and to develop targeted therapeutic strategies.

GHRELIN LEVEL IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER CIRRHOSIS

BACKGROUND

Ghrelin is a gastro-duodenal hormone which plays a major role in the regulation of food intake, energy balance and gastrokinesis. Ghrelin represents a novel biological marker for assessment of the presence as well as the severity of liver cirrhosis. We aimed to measure the level of plasma ghrelin in patients with liver cirrhosis (compensated and decompensated) and to correlate its level with different studied clinical and laboratory parameters.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

40 cirrhotic patients were included in a cross-sectional study and divided equally according to the Child-Pugh classification into Group I: patients with compensated liver cirrhosis (Child A), and Group II: patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis (Child B|C). Also, 20 age and sex matched healthy subjects were included as a control group (Group III). All patients were subjected to: full history taking, full clinical examination, routine biochemical studies together with estimation of plasma ghrelin level, assessment of the severity of liver disease according to Child-Pugh classification, also, abdominal ultrasonography was done.

RESULTS

Plasma ghrelin level was low among cirrhotic patients (both compensated and decompensated) in comparison to normal control subjects.

CONCLUSION

Ghrelin can be used as a serum biomarker for detection and assessment of the severity of liver cirrhosis.

Wake-up Call to Clinicians: The Impact of Sleep Dysfunction on Gastrointestinal Health and Disease

Sleep dysfunction is an epidemic affecting a large portion of the adult population. Recent studies have linked sleep dysfunction with an upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines (eg, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1 and interleukin-6), the implications of which can have a profound impact on a variety of gastrointestinal disease. In particular, sleep dysfunction seems to accelerate disease states characterized by inflammation (eg, gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia, chronic liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and colorectal cancer). This article evaluates the complex interplay between sleep dysfunction and gastrointestinal health and disease.

Assessment of serum acylated ghrelin in children and adolescents with chronic liver diseases: relation to nutritional status

Because ghrelin is one of the key hormones in regulating feeding behavior and caloric status, it was suggested that ghrelin behavior might be closely associated with malnutrition state of patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Thus, we aimed to assess serum ghrelin levels in children with CLD and its relation to anthropometric parameters and severity of CLD. Forty CLD patients were studied in comparison to 40 controls. All subjects were subjected to history, anthropometric, and laboratory assessment of liver functions and serum acylated ghrelin. Ghrelin was higher in patients than controls being higher with progress of Child's grade and with deterioration of liver functions. Hyperghrelinemia was detected in 62.5% of cases. Ghrelin correlated negatively with body mass index standard deviation score (BMISDS (r = −0.95, P < 0.001)), triceps skin fold thickness (TSFT (r = −0.88, P < 0.001)), and subscapular skin fold thickness (SSFT (r = 0.83, P < 0.001)) percentiles. In conclusion, hyperghrelinemia may represent a compensatory mechanism trying to overcome malnutrition state complicating CLD and can be used as a parameter for early detection and assessment of the severity of malnutrition in children with CLD.

Study of serum ghrelin changes and its correlation with malnutrition in liver cirrhosis in Egypt

Egypt has the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) all over the world, with an estimated 8-10 million among a population of 68 million having been exposed to the virus and 5-7 million active infections (Frank et al., 2000). It is considered the most common aetiology of chronic liver disease (CLD) in Egypt, where prevalence of antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) is 10-fold greater than in the United States and Europe (Goldstone et al., 2002; Strickland et al., 2002). We have studied the role of plasma ghrelin, an orexigenic hormone that was found to correlate with malnourishment in CLD depending on Child classification. Sixty patients were divided in three groups according to Child classification and were compared to normal healthy controls (20 subjects). There was a highly significant correlation of plasma ghrelin and body mass index (BMI), mid arm circumference (MAC), waist circumference (WC) and tricuspid skin fold thickness (TSF). Also plasma ghrelin was specific and sensitive by the ROC curve analysis to BMI, which would indicate a new marker for malnourishment and possibility of a novel therapeutic approach.