Is acyl-ghrelin a significant factor in the pathogenesis of protein-energy wasting in patients receiving haemodialysis?
- Authors: Iakovenko A.A.1, Lavrishcheva Y.V.2, Rumyantsev A.S.3
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Affiliations:
- Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University
- Almazov National Medical Research Centre
- Saint Petersburg State University
- Issue: Vol 27, No 10 (2025): Cardiology and nephrology
- Pages: 614-619
- Section: Articles
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/2075-1753/article/view/352924
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.26442/20751753.2025.10.203171
- ID: 352924
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Abstract
Aim. To clarify the role of acyl-ghrelin in the development of protein-energy wasting of haemodialysis patients (HD).
Materials and methods. A total of 645 patients receiving treatment with programmatic bicarbonate HD for 8.4 ± 5.3 years, including 345 women and 300 men, the average age was 56.8 ± 12.8 years. Nutritional status was assessed using the method proposed by the International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism (ISRNM). For the quantitative determination of acyl-ghrelin, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit “Active Ghrelin ELISA Kit” (highly sensitive method) from Sceti KK, Japan was used in this work. Reference values: 30–62 fmol/ml.
Results. The prevalence of protein-energy wasting (PEW) using the ISRNM method was 24.9% (160 patients). Reduced levels of acyl-ghrelin were detected in 352 (54.5%) patients. The average acyl-ghrelin values in patients without signs of PEW were 50.2 ± 10.3 fmol/ml, and in patients with PEW 24.9 ± 9.2 fmol/ml (p < 0.0001). Patients with reduced acyl-ghrelin levels had statistically significantly lower values of total protein, albumin, prealbumin, total cholesterol, and transferrin than patients with normal acyl-ghrelin levels (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Also, patients with reduced acyl-ghrelin levels were characterized by statistically significantly lower values of BMI, skeletal muscle mass, and percentage of body fat mass (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively).
Conclusion. The prevalence of PEW in HD patients according to the ISRNM method was 24.9%. A reduced level of acyl-ghrelin in the blood serum may be an important pathogenetic link in the development of PEW in HD patients.
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##article.viewOnOriginalSite##About the authors
Aleksandr A. Iakovenko
Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University
Author for correspondence.
Email: leptin-rulit@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1045-9336
Cand. Sci. (Med.)
Russian Federation, Saint PetersburgYulia V. Lavrishcheva
Almazov National Medical Research Centre
Email: leptin-rulit@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3073-2785
Cand. Sci. (Med.)
Russian Federation, Saint PetersburgAleksandr Sh. Rumyantsev
Saint Petersburg State University
Email: leptin-rulit@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9455-1043
D. Sci. (Med.)
Russian Federation, Saint PetersburgReferences
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