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Long-term effects of Helicobacter pylori eradication on circulating ghrelin and leptin concentrations and body composition in prepubertal children

¹ Department of Pediatrics, La Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy² Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, National Research Council, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Italy and ³ Department of Public Health Sciences, La Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy

(Correspondence should be addressed to L Pacifico; Email: lucia.pacifico{at}uniroma1.it)

Background: Helicobacter pylori, and the chronic gastric inflammation that it causes, may compromise the function and survival of ghrelin-producing cells, resulting in a decrease of circulating ghrelin levels. This finding raises the possibility that the infection might affect growth in children by reducing the ghrelin production.

Aims: To determine baseline circulating levels of ghrelin and leptin in prepubertal children with and without H. pylori infection and to evaluate the long-term effects of H. pylori eradication on circulating levels of ghrelin and leptin as well as on body composition.

Patients: Thirty children with H. pylori-associated gastritis, 35 children with H. pylori-negative gastric mucosa, and 20 healthy controls were studied.

Results: At baseline, while leptin levels were significantly lower in H. pylori-positive patients, ghrelin concentrations did not differ among the three study groups. However, a significant inverse correlation between ghrelin concentrations and histological severity of gastritis was found. Eradication of the organism was associated with a progressive decrease in ghrelin concentrations over baseline at both 6- and 12-month follow-ups. SDS-body mass index (BMI), lean and fat mass, as well as leptin concentrations, significantly increased over baseline at both follow-ups.

Conclusions: In prepubertal children, serum ghrelin concentrations are inversely related to the severity of H. pylori-associated gastritis. In these youngsters, long-term eradication of H. pylori infection is associated with a significant increase in BMI, lean and fat mass along with a significant decrease in circulating ghrelin levels and an increase in leptin levels.