title: Circulating ghrelin/obestatin ratio in subjects with Helicobacter pylori infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ghrelin is a peptide hormone involved in human energy homeostasis. Obestatin is a recently discovered active peptide derived from preproghrelin. It seemed that obestatin was a physiologic opponent of ghrelin. Helicobacter pylori infection may be associated with appetite and nutrition. We compared the plasma ghrelin/obestatin ratio in H. pylori-positive and -negative groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  People undergoing an annual health checkup were included. Helicobacter pylori status was based on serologic and carbon-13 urea breath findings. Fifty adults with H. pylori infection and 50 adults matched by age and body mass index without H. pylori infection were enrolled in this study. Plasma ghrelin and obestatin levels were measured by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ghrelin concentrations and ghrelin/obestatin ratios were lower in the H. pylori-positive group than in the H. pylori-negative group. There was no significant difference in circulating obestatin between those with and without H. pylori infection. In all subjects, the ghrelin/obestatin ratio was negatively correlated with body mass index, the homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistance, and serum levels of triacylglycerol. There was a positive correlation between circulating obestatin and ghrelin levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Helicobacter pylori infection was associated with a reduction in the circulating ghrelin/obestatin ratio in Chinese adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, The First Clinical Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Yuan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Hong-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: Xiao-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhi-Bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D054439:Ghrelin; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D036361:Peptide Hormones; C505799:obestatin, human