Yonsei Med J.  2010 May;51(3):339-344. 10.3349/ymj.2010.51.3.339.

Correlation between Hyperghrelinemia and Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness in Children with Prader-Willi Syndrome

• Kim SJ
• Paik KH
• Kim DI
• Choe YH
• Kim SW
• Jin DK

• KMID: 1074984
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2010.51.3.339

Abstract

PURPOSE
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder characterized by childhood-onset obesity and endocrine dysfunction that leads to cardiovascular disability. The objective of the study is to assess the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and atherosclerotic risk factors.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty-seven PWS children and 24 normal controls were enrolled. Correlations of IMT with atherosclerotic risk factors were assessed.
RESULTS
IMTs in the PWS group did not differ from those in the controls (p = 0.172), although total ghrelin levels were higher in the PWS children (p = 0.003). The multivariate analysis revealed positive correlations between total ghrelin levels (rho = 0.489, p = 0.046) and IMT in the PWS group and between body mass index-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) (rho = 0.697, p = 0.005) and IMT in the controls.
CONCLUSION
Considering the positive correlation of IMT with total ghrelin levels and the high level of ghrelin in PWS children, a further study is warranted to evaluate the role of elevated ghrelin on atherosclerosis for PWS.

Keyword

Intima-media thickness; ghrelin; Prader-Willi syndrome; risk factors; atherosclerosis

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Carotid Arteries/*pathology
Child
Female
Ghrelin/*blood
Humans
Male
Prader-Willi Syndrome/*blood/*pathology
Tunica Intima/*pathology
Tunica Media/*pathology

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Correlation of intima media thickness (IMT) with total ghrelin in the PWS group (A) and BMI-SDS in the controls (B). IMT was significantly positively correlated with total ghrelin in the PWS group (ρ = 0.489, p = 0.046). and BMI-SDS in the controls (ρ = 0.697, p = 0.005). PWS, Prader-Willi syndrome; BMI-SDS, body mass index-standard deviation score.

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