Pretreatment ghrelin and obestatin levels in patients with acute stroke

Stroke is the third reason of the deaths following heart diseases and cancer with leaving disability. Early diagnose and treatment of the patients with stroke in emergency service reduces the impact of this disease on mortality and morbidity. Obestatin and ghrelin are peptide hormones regulating food and energy usage and appetite.The aim of this study was to define pretreatment blood and urine levels of ghrelin and obestatin in patients with newly diagnosed stroke and to determine the relationship between parameters.Thirty patients presented with stroke in emergency service and a group of volunteers consisting of 30 individuals were included in the study. The patient group, the emergency department medical history, physical examination, CT, Carotid Doppler, MRI, diffusion MRI diagnosed patients was created. Patients and control group, serum (3 cc) and urine (2-3 cc) samples were collected for analysis of ghrelin and obestatin. Samples were saved at -80°C. Acyl ghrelin, deacyl ghrelin and obestatin levels were studied from blood and urine samples.No statistically significant difference was found between serum acylated, deacylated ghrelin levels of two groups (p>0.05). Statistically significant difference was found between urine acylated ghrelin levels of patients (stroke group) and control group (p<0.01). There was a statistically significant difference between blood obestatin levels of two groups (p=0.001).The importance of our study is due to being the first study on this issue. However more studies are needed determine the usefulness of blood and urine obestatin and ghrelin levels as a diagnostic marker in stroke.Key words: Stroke, ghrelin, obestatin, emergency department