Plasma ghrelin hormone concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without complications

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to measure fasting plasma ghrelin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus [DM] and to study the possible role of ghrelin hormone in the pathogenesis of micro and macrovascular complications of DM. The study was performed on 60 patients with type 2 diabetes, 20 of them were obese [group I], 20 patients with normal weight [group II] and 20 diabetic patients with complications [group III], in addition to 20 normal healthy controls. Full history and clinical examination with special emphasis on measurements of body mass index [BMI], waist hip circumference ratio [WHR]. Laboratory investigations include, lipid profile, kidney function tests, urine analysis, fasting blood suger [FBS], HbA1c, fasting serum insulin, measurement of insulin resistance [IR] and measurement of fasting plasma ghrelin by radioimmunoassay for all subjects. The results clarified that, there was a significant decrease regarding fasting plasma ghrelin hormone in all studied diabetic patients [either obese or non obese and in patients with complications] than control group. However, ghrelin hormone was more decreased in obese type 2 diabetic patients than non obese. Also, there was a significant decrease in plasma ghrelin in non obese diabetic patients with complications than non obese diabetic patients without complications. There was a significant, negative correlation between fasting plasma ghrelin hormone and fasting insulin hormone, HBA1C, fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance. There was a negative correlation between fasting plasma ghrelin hormone and BMI, weight and waist circumference. There was negative correlation between plasma ghrelin and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. From these results, we concluded that, ghrelin secretion may be suppressed by long - term poor glycemic control and that obesity may influence the regulation of ghrelin secretion. Decrease of ghrelin hormone in patients with diabetes mellitus may be risk factor for micro - macrovascular complications