Fetuin-A and Ghrelin Levels in Children with End Stage Renal Disease and the Effect of a Single Hemodialysis Session on Them

BACKGROUND: Fetuin-A and ghrelin have been implicated in cardiovascular diseases and mortality among end stage renal disease patients. The exact mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. There is robust data supporting an association between ghrelin and various cardiovascular conditions, and some common processes such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and endoplasmic reticulum stress have been implicated. AIM: This study was conducted to assay serum fetuin-A and ghrelin in chronic renal failure pediatric patients and to study changes in their level that may occur after a single hemodialysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty nine pediatric patients suffering from ESRD on maintenance hemodialysis (HD), 20 patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) not on dialysis and 35 healthy subjects as control group were included. The mean age of the study population was 10.58 ± 3.94, 10.62 ± 3.24 and 10.61 ± 3.97 years respectively. Serum fetuin-A and plasma acyl ghrelin levels were measured by using ELISA method. RESULTS: The present study revealed that predialysis serum fetuin-A level was significantly increased in pediatric HD patients compared with the normal population, while ghrelin levels were significantly reduced. Furthermore, serum levels of fetuin-A decreased significantly after a single HD session. CONCLUSION: Our study concluded that fetuin-A and acyl ghrelin may play a role in inflammatory process among HD pediatric patients which may account for cardiovascular insults and mortality but their use as biochemical markers among ESRD pediatric patients have limitations due to wide fluctuations.