Roles of ghrelin in left-ventricular remodelling after acute myocardial infarction. Issue 1 (5th July 2010) - Kondo, Hideyuki
Abstract : Objective: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of ghrelin after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in left ventricular (LV) remodelling. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Jichi Medical University Hospital. Patients: Fifty consecutive patients experiencing their first AMI. Interventions: Ghrelin was measured on the day of admission, day 7, day 14 and 6 months after AMI. Patients were treated by percutaneous coronary intervention, and successful myocardial reperfusion was accomplished within 12 h after onset. To analyse LV remodelling, the authors performed left ventriculographies on the day of admission and 6 months after AMI. Main outcome measures: Changes in LV volume. Results: Plasma ghrelin increased significantly after AMI (admission: 40.9±7.3; day 7: 89.5±11.0; day 14: 92.6±11.8 fmol/ml, p<0.0001). There was a significant correlation between ghrelin on day 14 and changes in LV volume over 6 months (r=+0.46, p<0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that ghrelin on day 14 is a significant predictor of LV remodelling after AMI (β=+0.44, p=0.001). Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report that shows a relation between circulating ghrelin after AMI and the progression of LV remodelling in the chronic phase. The elevation of ghrelin after AMI might be a compensatory mechanism to attenuate LV remodelling.