Plasma levels of ghrelin in anorexia nervosa patients

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Octanoylated ghrelin (1-28) (intact ghrelin) is rapidly degraded to desoctanoyl forms or smaller fragments (degraded ghrelin). Plasma levels of intact and degraded ghrelin were examined in 30 anorexia nervosa patients (AN) (body mass index (BMI) : 8.81-22.4 kg/m^2) and 16 age-matched healthy women using several assay methods. Plasma ghrelin levels measured by immunocomplex transfer-enzyme immunoassay (ICE-EIA) detecting specifically intact ghrelin in AN were lower than those of controls. Plasma ghrelin levels in AN by Active Ghrelin ELISA Kit advertised as specifically detecting intact ghrelin were not significantly different from controls. Levels of desoctanoyl ghrelin by Desacyl-Ghrelin ELISA, N-terminus ghrelin by Ghrelin Active RIA, and C-terminus ghrelin by Ghrelin Total RIA were significantly higher in AN than in controls, and displayed significant negative correlations with BMI.Plasma levels of intact ghrelin in AN vary from lower than to similar to those of controls. Degraded forms of ghrelin are elevated in AN.