Association between maternal ghrelin levels and hyperemesis gravidarum

Authors: İKBAL KAYGUSUZ, İLKNUR İNEGÖL GÜMÜŞ, MELAHAT YILDIRIM, HÜSAMETTİN ERDAMAR, AYSEL UYSAL, SERAP AYNUR SİMAVLI, ABDULLAH AYYILDIZ, MUHAMMET RAMAZAN YİĞİTOĞLU

Abstract: To investigate serum levels of ghrelin in pregnant women as a potential early marker for hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Fatih University Hospital. Included in the study were 35 women with HG and 31 pregnant women without HG as a control group. The groups were compared in terms of age, gravidity, body mass index (BMI), and fasting serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and ghrelin levels. Results: Ghrelin levels of the patients with HG were found to be significantly lower than those in the control group (P = 0.03). No intergroup differences could be found in serum TSH or BMI values . Conclusion: Ghrelin might serve as a reliable marker in the etiopathogenesis of HG.

Keywords: Hyperemesis gravidarum, pregnancy, ghrelin, etiopathogenesis, thyroid-stimulating hormone, body mass index

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