Gut Hormones and Appetite in ICU Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Nematy Mohsen, O'Flynn Jacqui E, Wandrag Liesl, Brynes Audrey E, Brett Stephen J, Patterson Michael, Ghatei Mohammad A, Bloom Stephen R, Frost Gary S
Primary Institution: Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust
Hypothesis
What are the patterns of ghrelin and PYY levels during the stay of ICU patients in hospital?
Conclusion
ICU patients have high levels of PYY and low levels of ghrelin compared to healthy controls, indicating a relationship between these gut hormones and nutritional intake.
Supporting Evidence
- ICU patients had significantly lower levels of ghrelin compared to healthy subjects.
- PYY levels were significantly higher in ICU patients than in controls.
- The levels of ghrelin tended to normalize during the last three weeks of hospital stay.
Takeaway
Sick patients in the ICU have different levels of hormones that control hunger, which can affect how much they want to eat.
Methodology
Sixteen ICU patients had blood samples taken at various intervals, and their hormone levels were compared to healthy controls.
Potential Biases
The study's design may introduce variability due to the heterogeneous nature of the ICU population.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and excluded patients with renal failure, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Patients aged 18 to 85 years, with a mean age of 60 ± 4.7 years and a BMI of 28.1 ± 1.7 kg/m2.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p < 0.001 for ghrelin, p < 0.05 for PYY
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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