title: Evaluation of ghrelin level and appetite regulation in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Appetite reduction is a major cause of cachexia in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). This study tested the correlation of appetite and circulating levels of acylated ghrelin in patients with AECOPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six patients with AECOPD and 23 healthy adults were enrolled in this study. Circulating total ghrelin, acylated ghrelin, and obestatin levels, Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) score, and caloric intake were compared in patients and healthy controls. Additionally, the above parameters were compared between admission and discharge in the patients with AECOPD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with healthy controls, SNAQ scores and caloric intake were significantly lower in patients with AECOPD, but there were no significant differences in total ghrelin, acyl ghrelin, or obestatin levels. In patients with AECOPD, the total ghrelin level was significantly higher at admission than on discharge, the SNAQ score and caloric intake were significantly increased at discharge when compared with admission, and there was no significant difference in acylated ghrelin level between admission and discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated lower appetite scores and caloric intake in patients with AECOPD, but could not confirm that these effects were caused by insufficient levels of the orexigenic peptide, acyl ghrelin. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings and to determine the mechanism regulating appetite in patients with AECOPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Division of Pulmonary Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Division of Pulmonary Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yongchun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qiunan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Guizhou People's Hospital, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Division of Pulmonary Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Division of Pulmonary Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Panwen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Division of Pulmonary Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Division of Pulmonary Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fuqiang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D000215:Acylation; D000368:Aged; D001069:Appetite Regulation; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D010351:Patient Discharge; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C515349:GHRL protein, human; D054439:Ghrelin; C505799:obestatin, human
keywords: appetite; chronic obstructive; comorbidities; ghrelin; malnutrition; pulmonary disease