GHRELIN AMELIORATES WASTING, CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS, INFLAMMATION AND MORTALITY IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE

Wasting, cardiovascular complications and inflammation are known risk factors associated with high mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Ghrelin is an appetite-regulating hormone with additional effects in the modulation of systemic inflammation and the cardiovascular system. CKD patients with low serum ghrelin have high mortality risk and may benefit the most from ghrelin therapy. Aim to investigate the effects of ghrelin on cachexia, muscle wasting, cardiovascular complications, inflammation and mortality in CKD. C56BL/6J mice underwent 2-stage 5/6 nephrectomy (CKD) or sham operation (S). Ghrelin (150 nmole/kg/day) or saline was given to CKD or S mice. Over 90-days, mortality rates of 9 month old ghrelin-treated CKD mice (15%) and S mice (0%) were significantly better than those of CKD mice (57.5%). The cumulative food intake of the CKD + ghrelin mice was significantly increased than CKD mice (p Ghrelin significantly improved systolic hypertension in CKD mice (p Our studies indicate that ghrelin ameliorates wasting, systemic hypertension and LVH with associated improvement in inflammation and mortality in CKD.