Ghrelin serum levels during oral glucose tolerance test in prepubertal obese children with insulin resistance.
BACKGROUND
An involvement of ghrelin in glucose metabolism has been suggested; nevertheless, the relationship between ghrelin and insulin resistance (IR) remains unclear.


OBJECTIVE
1. To investigate the effect of glucose loading on ghrelin in prepubertal obese children with IR. 2. To assess possible correlations between IR and changes in circulating ghrelin.


METHODS
Twenty prepubertal obese, insulin-resistant and 18 age- and sex-matched lean children were studied. Fasting glucose, insulin and ghrelin levels were measured. In the obese group, measurements were repeated during an OGTT.


RESULTS
Ghrelin levels were decreased at 60 min, but thereafter increased to baseline values. The fall in circulating ghrelin was negatively correlated with IR and the respective rise in insulin levels.


CONCLUSIONS
In prepubertal, insulin-resistant obese children, ghrelin is significantly suppressed shortly after glucose intake. It is possible that the above effect is attenuated by IR and the resultant increase in insulin levels.
4th Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Greece. galtsin@otenet.gr
Assimina
A
Galli-Tsinopoulou
Charilaos
C
Stylianou
Dimitrios
D
Farmakiotis
Israel
I
Rousso
Michael
M
Karamouzis
Sanda
S
Nousia-Arvanitakis
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D054439:Ghrelin; D007328:Insulin