GH treatment reduces total ghrelin in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and may confound ghrelin studies in young PWS children.

摘要

Children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) switch from a failure to thrive in early infancy to a state of insatiable appetite, leading to morbid obesity if caloric intake is not controlled. This poses many problems to parents and caregivers. Understanding the mechanisms of the switch could be the key for the development of new treatment modalities. An effective treatment would relief the parents and caregivers from the constant task of withholding food from their children, and would prevent obesity and associated comorbidities. Ghrelin is elevated in individuals with PWS, suggesting a role for ghrelin in the development of food craving. An early rise of ghrelin could prime the hypothalamus to go into a state of satiety signal misinterpretation. It is therefore important to know the natural course of the ghrelin levels from birth and early infancy, when significant obesity has not yet developed. Two recent reports have addressed this issue, with conflicting results.