title: Repeated administration of ghrelin to patients with functional dyspepsia: its effects on food intake and appetite.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ghrelin plays a major role in the regulation of food intake (FI), which makes it a strong candidate for the treatment of anorexia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We attempted to evaluate the clinical response to repeated ghrelin administration in patients with anorexia caused by functional disorders, such as functional dyspepsia (FD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects included in this study were those who 1) were diagnosed with functional anorexia, including FD and other eating disorders with the exception of anorexia nervosa; 2) were lean (body mass index (BMI)<22 kg/m(2)); and 3) exhibited decreased FI. Subjects received an i.v. infusion of ghrelin (3 microg/kg) for 30 min twice a day (before breakfast and dinner) for 2 weeks. We investigated the effects of ghrelin administration on FI, appetite, hormones, and metabolic parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six patients with FD were enrolled in this study. Ghrelin administration tended to increase daily FI in comparison with levels before and after completion of treatment, but this difference that was the primary endpoint of this study did not reach statistical significance (P=0.084). Hunger sensation was significantly elevated at the end of drip infusion (P<0.0001). No severe adverse effects were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that ghrelin administration is safe and that this treatment has stimulatory effects on appetite in patients with FD. Further studies are necessary to confirm the efficacy of ghrelin treatment for anorexia-related disorders.
authors: Ghrelin Research Project, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. akamizu@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Akamizu
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Iwakura
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Ariyasu
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Hosoda
authors: Toshinori
authors: T
authors: Murayama
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Yokode
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Teramukai
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Seno
authors: Tsutomu
authors: T
authors: Chiba
authors: Shunichi
authors: S
authors: Noma
authors: Yoshikatsu
authors: Y
authors: Nakai
authors: Mikihiko
authors: M
authors: Fukunaga
authors: Yoshihide
authors: Y
authors: Nakai
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Kangawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000855:Anorexia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; C422650:ghrelin, des-n-octanoyl