Effects of ghrelin treatment on exertional dyspnea in COPD: an exploratory analysis.
A substudy of ghrelin treatment in a multicenter trial previously revealed that administration of ghrelin improves the exercise capacity of underweight COPD patients. To clarify exertional dyspnea more precisely, exploratory analysis was conducted on data from the substudy. Of 20 underweight COPD patients who were randomized to pulmonary rehabilitation with intravenous ghrelin (2 μg/kg, n = 10) or placebo (n = 10) twice daily for 3 weeks in the substudy, 16 (ghrelin = 9, placebo = 7) could be investigated for dyspnea break-point on the dyspnea-ratio (%) of Δoxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) (= peak minus resting [Formula: see text]) curve. A significant treatment effect of ghrelin on percentage [Formula: see text] at the dyspnea break-point to Δ[Formula: see text] (p = 0.049) was achieved. In conclusion, underweight COPD patients benefitted from ghrelin treatment in terms of shifts to the early exercise phase of the dyspnea break-point during a standardized exercise program.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Hospital Organization Toneyama National Hospital, 5-1-1 Toneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-8552, Japan, mikisuke@toneyama.go.jp.
Keisuke
K
Miki
Ryoji
R
Maekura
Noritoshi
N
Nagaya
Mari
M
Miki
Seigo
S
Kitada
Kenji
K
Yoshimura
Masahide
M
Mori
Kenji
K
Kangawa
D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000502:physiology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013851:Thinness / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
D054439:Ghrelin; D010100:Oxygen