title: Factors associated with plasma ghrelin level in Japanese general population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ghrelin is a novel gastric peptide identified in 1999 as a 'hunger hormone'. Plasma ghrelin level is decreased in human obesity. Factors associated with ghrelin have been mainly investigated in western countries where the prevalence of obesity is high. The aim of this study is to examine factors associated with plasma ghrelin in a Japanese general population where obesity is not so common.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fasting ghrelin levels were measured by ELISA in 638 subjects in 2005-2007. We measured body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and blood pressure. Blood was drawn in the morning after a 12-h fast for determinations of ghrelin, lipid, glucose (FPG), insulin, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and uric acid levels. Univariate and multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed to find out factors associated with ghrelin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our population, the mean BMI was 23·8 kg/m(2) , indicating a nonobese population. Results of univariate analysis showed that age (P<0·001), BMI (P<0·001), waist (P<0·001), triglycerides (P<0·01), FPG (P<0·01), insulin (P<0·001) and uric acid (P<0·05) were inversely associated with ghrelin. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (P<0·001) and eGFR (P<0·05) were positively associated with ghrelin. Men had lower ghrelin levels than women (P<0·001). Results of the multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that age (P<0·001; inversely), female gender (P<0·001), insulin (P<0·001; inversely), HDL cholesterol (P=0·005), BMI (P=0·01; inversely) and uric acid (P=0·045; inversely) were significantly and independently associated with ghrelin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrated that age and gender affected plasma ghrelin levels more than BMI. This may well be because of the low prevalence of overweight in our population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardio-Vascular Medicine, Institute of Life Science, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nanjo
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Enomoto
authors.forename: Ako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fukami
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Kuniko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Kanako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.forename: Kinuka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Eri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsukagawa
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murayama
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasukawa
authors.forename: Masayasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imaizumi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D054439:Ghrelin; D007328:Insulin