2017 Volume 61 Issue 2 Pages 55-60
Aim: Ghrelin is a peptide that is secreted from the stomach and plays a role in appetite, weight gain, and skeletal muscle composition. In the present clinical study, we examined the relationship between ghrelin level and physiology in patients who had undergone major liver and pancreas surgery. Methods: Serum ghrelin level was measured before and after hepatectomy and pancreatectomy. The relationships between nutritional status and postoperative alterations of parameters including the ghrelin level were examined. Results: In 32 patients, the preoperative plasm acyl- (AG) or des-acyl-ghrelin (DAG) and AG/DAG ratio were not significantly different based on gender, type of operation, age and each disease. AG tended to be correlated with the respiration quotient but this was not statistically significant (p=0.08). AG was significantly negatively correlated with hemoglobin and albumin levels. The postoperative plasma ghrelin level was significantly decreased at day 1 in comparison with preoperative levels (p < 0.05) and recovered to preoperative levels at day 3. There were no significant differences between hepatectomy and pancreatectomy groups, with no changes of postoperative metabolic parameters. Conclusions: Although serum ghrelin level was transiently decreased, this level was immediately recovered and not influenced by the surgical procedures or its invasiveness.
