Do children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy have lower IGF-1 and ghrelin levels than the normal children?
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to determine serum IGF-1 levels and plasma ghrelin levels in male children with adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy and compare with healthy controls.


METHODS
Forty-four male children with obstructive adenotonsillar hypertrophy between the ages of 8 and 11.9 years (mean 9.98+/-0.98 years) and age matched 40 healthy male children (between 8 and 12 years old, mean 9.83+/-0.85 years) as control group were enrolled in this study. In both the groups plasma ghrelin and serum IGF-1 levels were measured at 08.30, in the morning.


RESULTS
Male children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy had significantly depressed serum IGF-1 levels (227.29+/-83.11 ng/ml) and plasma ghrelin levels (389.67+/-170.94 pg/ml) compared to control group (389.67+/-170.94 ng/ml and 629.76+/-263.62 pg/ml respectively, p<0.05). Body mass indexes of children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy were significantly lower than those of their healthy peers (15.72+/-2.08 kg/m(2) and 19.12+/-2.79 kg/m(2) respectively, p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Delayed growth in male children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy may be related to the lower serum IGF-1 and plasma ghrelin levels compared to that of normal male controls. Since ghrelin increases hunger and food intake and its levels increase before the meals, lower levels lead to decreased appetite and also swallowing difficulties in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy may lead to suboptimal nutrition. Lower serum levels of IGF-1 in children with adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy may be secondary to deficient growth hormone stimulation by ghrelin.
Sen
Tolga Altuğ
TA
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics/Pediatric Endocrinology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Ozdilek Yolu, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. tolgasen69@yahoo.com
Ayçiçek
Abdullah
A
D000234:Adenoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
D054439:Ghrelin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I