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The negative association between total ghrelin levels, body mass and insulin secretion is lost in hypercortisolemic patients with Cushing’s disease

Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Turin, Italy ¹ Endocrinology Unit and Center for Applied Biomedical Research, Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

(Correspondence should be addressed to E Arvat; Email: emanuela.arvat{at}unito.it)

Objective: Ghrelin exerts a wide spectrum of endocrine and non-endocrine actions. The stomach is the major source of circulating ghrelin levels that are negatively associated with body mass, insulin and glucose levels. The role of glucocorticoids in ghrelin secretion and action is still unclear.

Design: In 8 patients with Cushing’s disease (CD, BMI 29.8 ± 1.6 kg/m²), 7 normal (NS) and 6 obese subjects (OB, BMI 32.9 ± 1.1 kg/m²) we studied: a) total ghrelin levels (every 15 min over 3 h) and their correlation with BMI, insulin, glucose, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index, ACTH and cortisol levels; b) GH, ACTH, cortisol, insulin and glucose responses to acylated ghrelin administration (1.0 µg/kg i.v. at 0 min).

Results: CD patients had BMI, insulin and glucose levels as well as HOMA index higher than those in NS (P < 0.05) but similar to those in OB. Despite this, total ghrelin levels in CD were similar to those in NS and both were higher (P < 0.05) than those in OB. No correlation was found among total ghrelin and BMI, insulin, glucose, ACTH and cortisol levels in CD patients. The GH responses to ghrelin in CD and OB were similar and both were lower (P < 0.002) than those in NS. In CD ghrelin induced exaggerated ACTH and cortisol responses clearly higher (P < 0.005) than in OB and NS. Ghrelin administration increased glucose in all groups; insulin levels showed slight decrease that was significant (P < 0.05) in OB only.

Conclusions: Hypercortisolism in humans is associated with impaired ghrelin secretion and action. In fact, total ghrelin secretion in CD is not reduced despite increased BMI, insulin and glucose levels, while the GH and ACTH responses to acylated ghrelin are clearly reduced and enhanced, respectively.

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