title: Serum motilin levels and motilin gene polymorphisms in children with functional constipation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functional constipation is an important clinical problem among chidren all over the world. Its main cause is not completely understood. Motilin is a gastrointestinal hormone that increases intestinal motility. In this study, we aimed to investigate the serum motilin levels and its relationship with stool consistency and motilin gene polymorphisms in constipated children.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study we investigated 91 constipated patients (mean age 6.84±3.55 years) and 100 healthy controls (mean age 7.78±4.25 years). Serum motilin levels were assessed by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. rs2281820 (c.44 C>T) and rs2281818 (c.66 C>T) mutations were evaluated for motilin gene polymorphisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum motilin levels were significantly lower in constipated children than healthy controls (6.20±7.86 vs. 11.54±17.89 pg/mL, respectively, P=0.008). Serum motilin levels were significantly correlated with Bristol stool scale rate (r=0.193, P=0.011) in whole study group, but in the constipation group there was no significant correlation (r=-0.072, P=0.528). There were no differences in terms of presence or distribution of the polymorphisms of rs2281820 (c.44 C>T) and rs2281818 (c.66 C>T) in both groups. There was not a significant difference between different polymorphism groups regarding serum motilin concentrations in whole study group and also in both of the study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicated for the first time that serum motilin levels decreased in constipated children. Further studies are needed to clarify whether motilin or motilin gene polymorphisms has a role in pathogenesis of functional constipation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Emergency Care, Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ulusoy
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey - nur.arslan@deu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Nur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tuncay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Küme
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayfer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ülgenalp
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ceren
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Çirali
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Bozkaya
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Dokuz Eylül University, School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ercal
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003248:Constipation / Q000235:genetics; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D009037:Motilin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D009037:Motilin