STUDY OF GHRELIN LEVELS IN HYPOTHYROID PATIENTS BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT

Abstract

Objective: Aim of the present study was to evaluate the levels of ghrelin in hypothyroid patients before and after treatment with L-thyroxine and to nd a possible relationship between ghrelin and thyroid hormones. Material & Methods: The present study was conducted on 100 hypothyroid patients (44 Males & 56 Females) before treatment (Group A) and after treatment (Group B) attending the outpatient clinics or admitted in wards of J.L.N. Hospitals, Ajmer. 100 healthy control subjects (Group C) of same age group of either gender were selected for the study. Blood samples were drawn from patients and controls, after overnight fast of at least 8 hours. Estimation of Serum Ghrelin, free T3, free T4, and TSH was done by using Enzyme- Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) technique. Total Cholesterol, Triglyceride, HDL – Cholesterol were measured by automated analyser (Beckman & Coulter's AU680). VLDL – Cholesterol, LDL – Cholesterol were calculated by Friedwald's formula. Differences in the parameters among the groups were analyzed by ANOVA test followed by its Tukey HSD post hoc analysis. Correlations between variables were tested using the Pearson rho (r: Correlation coefcient) correlation test. Results: Findings of the present study shows that the levels of serum fT3 (1.79 ± 0.29 pg/mL) and serum fT4 (0.34 ± 0.11 ng/dL) were signicantly lower in Group A compared to Group B (fT3 = 3.00 ± 0.32 pg/mL & fT4 = 0.81 ± 0.15 ng/dL) and Group C (fT3 = 3.12 ± 0.31 pg/mL & fT4 = 0.85 ± 0.11ng/dL) whereas serum TSH levels were signicantly higher in Group A (40.59 ± 13.55 μIU/mL) compared to Group B (5.34 ± 1.47 μIU/mL) and Group C (3.23 ± 1.04 μIU/mL). Levels of serum Ghrelin were signicantly higher in Group A (918.19 ± 48.47 pg/mL) compared to Group B (700.34 ± 46.35 pg/mL) and Group C (681.49 ± 35.80 pg/mL). A non signicant correlation of Ghrelin with S.fT4 and TSH was found in both Group A and Group B whereas S.fT3 and BMI shows a non signicant correlation in Group A in comparison to a signicant correlation in Group B. Conclusion: There is a reversible increase in the levels of serum ghrelin which became normalized after L-thyroxine substitution in hypothyroid patients. Alteration in the levels of serum ghrelin in thyroid disorders indicates a compensatory role of ghrelin in metabolic disturbances and also suggests a possible association between thyroid hormones and serum ghrelin levels.