title: Is ghrelin a biomarker for mortality in end-stage renal disease?
abstract: Ghrelin is involved in the pathogenesis of protein-energy wasting (PEW), inflammation, and cardiovascular complications in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Plasma ghrelin may prove to be a powerful biomarker of mortality in ESRD but should be considered in the context of assay specificity, other weight-regulating hormones, nutritional status, systemic inflammation, and cardiovascular risk factors. ESRD patients with PEW, systemic inflammation, and low ghrelin and high leptin concentrations have the highest mortality risk and may benefit the most from ghrelin therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Nephrology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0634, USA. romak@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: Wai W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000401:mortality*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C515349:GHRL protein, human; D054439:Ghrelin; D020738:Leptin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein