Circulating ghrelin levels as function of gender, pubertal status and adiposity in childhood

Ghrelin, a natural GH secretagogue, exerts remarkable endocrine and non-endocrine activities such as orexigenic effect and modulation of the endocrine and metabolic response to variations in energy balance. Ghrelin levels have been reported to be negatively associated to insulin secretion, enhanced in anorexia and reduced in obesity. Ghrelin levels in childhood have never been evaluated. We measured morning ghrelin levels after overnight fasting in 29 healthy lean children (NC) and in 36 obese children (OBC). The results were compared with those recorded twice in 3 different sessions in healthy lean adults (NA). In NA ghrelin levels showed good within-subject reproducibility without gender-related differences. Ghrelin levels in NC [(median; 25degrees-75degrees centile): 426.0; 183.0-618.0 pg/ml] were similar to those in NA (380.5; 257.7-551.7 pg/ml). Ghrelin levels in OBC (229.5; 162.5-339.5 pg/ml) were lower (p<0.03) than in NC (426.0; 183.0-618.0 pg/ml). Both in NC and in OBC, ghrelin levels were independent of gender and pubertal status. In all children, ghrelin levels were negatively associated (p<0.05) to weight excess (r=-0.24), insulin (r=-0.28) and IGF-I (r=-0.4) levels. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that morning ghrelin levels after overnight fasting show good within-subject reproducibility, and are similar in both sexes and do not vary from childhood to adulthood. In childhood, circulating ghrelin levels are reduced in obese subjects being negatively correlated to overweight and insulin secretion.