Ghrelin Levels in Gastric Mucosa before and after Eradication of Helicobacter pylori

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and ghrelin is controversial. We compared ghrelin levels in gastric mucosa and plasma between H. pylori-positive and -negative subjects, and between before and after H. pylori eradication. METHODS: We compared the ghrelin levels in the antrum, body, and fundus between H. pylori-positive and -negative subjects; in stomach tissues between before and after H. pylori eradication; and in plasma and tissue in 10-person cohorts between before and after H. pylori eradication therapy. Body mass index, age, and sex were controlled for when comparing ghrelin levels. RESULTS: Stomach ghrelin levels (in the antrum, body, and fundus) did not differ significantly between H. pylori-positive and -negative samples (p=0.095, 0.316, and 0.897, respectively), or between before and after H. pylori eradication (p=0.19, 0.178, and 0.513, respectively). In the ten-person cohort study, plasma ghrelin levels in the eight H. pylori-positive subjects were 2,260 pg/mL (range, 1,280-3,770 pg/mL) and 1,900 pg/mL (range, 1,350-5,200 pg/mL) before and after eradication therapy (p=0.871). Stomach ghrelin levels did not differ significantly in the eight H. pylori-positive subjects between before and after H. pylori eradication (p=0.732, 0.618, and 0.435 in the antrum, body, and fundus, respectively), or between six eradicated and two noneradicated subjects (p=0.071, 0.857, 0.429, and 0.857 in the antrum, body, fundus, and plasma, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that H. pylori infection has no effect on stomach ghrelin levels and that eradication therapy does not influence plasma or tissue ghrelin levels.