title: Serum ghrelin and carotid atherosclerosis in older Japanese people with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: Ghrelin may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis. However, the effect of serum ghrelin on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) (well-established as a surrogate marker to atherosclerosis) in metabolic syndrome (MS), particularly among relatively older subjects, has still not been thoroughly investigated. A total of 101 subjects >60 years of age (mean age, 72.3 years) with MS were enrolled in the study to investigate the relationship between serum total ghrelin and B-mode ultrasonographic cIMT levels. There were significantly positive correlations between cIMT and both age and systolic BP, but cIMT was significantly inversely correlated to ghrelin levels. In the multiple regression analysis for cIMT adjusted by other measured parameters, ghrelin was a significant and independent factor along with age and systolic BP. These findings suggest that decreased ghrelin levels may be related to carotid atherosclerosis among older subjects with MS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Administration and Promotion, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kotani
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakane
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saiga
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Haosheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: Youichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kurozawa
authors.forename: Mikihiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones