title: Ghrelin and its relation with N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide, endothelin-1 and nitric oxide in patients with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate ghrelin levels in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and the association of ghrelin with N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (N-BNP), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma ghrelin, N-BNP, ET-1 and NO were measured, and echocardiography was performed in 20 IPAH patients and in 20 control subjects matched for age, sex and body mass index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma ghrelin and NT-proBNP levels were significantly higher in IPAH patients compared with values in control subjects (p < 0.05). In IPAH patients, ghrelin levels correlated positively with N-BNP (r = 0.616, p = 0.004), NO (r = 0.464, p = 0.039), right ventricle diameter (RVD; r = 0.485, p = 0.030) and pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP; r = 0.591, p = 0.006). N-BNP levels correlated positively with RVD (r = 0.551, p = 0.012) and ET-1 (r = 0.451, p = 0.046).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma ghrelin levels were elevated in IPAH. Increased ghrelin levels correlated positively with N-BNP, PASP, RVD and NO, and N-BNP levels correlated positively with RVD and ET-1. Pulmonary vascular pathology is a complex imbalance of opposing forces. Ghrelin may not only provide a novel prognostic biomarker for IPAH but also be a potential new therapeutic strategy.
authors.affiliation: Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zihe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D065627:Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019332:Endothelin-1; D054439:Ghrelin; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009569:Nitric Oxide