title: Circulating ghrelin levels and the polycystic ovary syndrome: correlation with the clinical, hormonal and metabolic features.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dysregulation of ghrelin levels may lead to physiological problems including obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of the study was to compare ghrelin levels in women with and without PCOS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum ghrelin levels (pre- and post-prandial) were compared between 30 Saudi women suffering from PCOS and 30 healthy controls. The relationship between circulating ghrelin levels and other hormones was investigated. Anthropometric measurements were made for all subjects. Biochemical and hormonal investigations included plasma glucose, insulin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 17β-estradiol (E2), progesterone, testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin (SHGB), and serum ghrelin levels. The data were statistically analyzed using independent T-test and ANOVA. Correlation studies were performed between ghrelin levels and other variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were observed in the levels of ghrelin during fasting and the postprandial period in the PCOS (p=0.487) and control groups (p=0.378). A significant inverse correlation was observed in ghrelin levels (fasting and postprandial) levels and BMI (PCOS: r=-0.529; p=0.009, controls: r=-0.670; p=0.005); PCOS: r=-0.421; p=0.007, controls: r=-0.491; p=0.004 respectively). No correlations between ghrelin levels and other parameters were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the study suggest that circulating plasma ghrelin levels were found to be normal and were inversely related to BMI in women with PCOS. No relationship between circulating ghrelin levels and the abnormal hormonal pattern of the PCOS were observed.
authors.affiliation: King Saud University, Department of Zoology, College of Science, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. mdaghestani@ksu.edu.sa
authors.forename: Maha H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Daghestani
authors.forename: Mazin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Daghestani
authors.forename: Akmal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Mazny
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D019518:Postprandial Period
chemical_list: C515349:GHRL protein, human; D054439:Ghrelin