Do children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy have lower IGF-1 and ghrelin levels than the normal children?
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to determine serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and plasma ghrelin levels in male children with adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy and compare them with healthy controls.


METHODS
This study included 29 male prepubertal children between the ages of 6.5 and 10 years (mean age 8.8 +/- 2.5 years) with obstructive adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy and 20 normal male controls between the ages of 5.7 and 10.8 years (mean age 8.2 +/- 2.9 years). Plasma ghrelin and serum IGF-1 levels were measured at 8.30, in the morning.


RESULTS
Children with adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy had significantly depressed serum IGF-1 levels (203 +/- 150 ng ml(-1)) and plasma ghrelin levels (175 +/- 66 pg ml(-1)) compared with healthy controls (354 +/- 242 ng ml(-1) and 243 +/- 93 pg ml(-1), respectively, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Depressed levels of ghrelin in children with adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy lead to decreased appetite and insufficient energy intake. Lower serum levels of IGF-1 in children with adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy may be secondary to deficient growth hormone stimulation by ghrelin.
Tolga
T
Sen
Abdullah
A
Ayçiçek
D000234:Adenoids / Q000473:pathology*; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002149:Energy Intake; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000473:pathology*
D054439:Ghrelin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I