Plasma dosage of ghrelin, IGF-1, GLP- 1 and leptin related to gastric emptying and esophageal pH-impedance in children with obesity.

Purpose The main aim of the study was to assess the relationship between leptin, ghrelin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) blood levels and gastric motility in children with obesity compared to healthy children. Secondary aims were to assess the possible association between these hormones and obesity, refux impedance parameters, refux symptoms, other GI disorders, and quality-of-life scores within the same groups. Methods Children with obesity plus GERD symptoms and 2 control groups of children with obesity without GERD and healthy lean children aged 4–17 years underwent an auxological evaluation, an assessment of gastro-intestinal symptoms and quality of life, hormonal dosages, and an evaluation of gastric emptying time (GET) through 13C-octanoic acid breath test. Results No signifcant association was found between hormones and gastric motility. Leptin and ghrelin levels were signifcantly associated with obesity parameters. No signifcant diferences were found between GET and hormones of the patients with obesity, either with or without GERD. Conclusion Although we found an association between auxological parameters and both leptin and ghrelin levels, this association did not imply an efect on the upper GI motility. Therefore, our hypothesis that alterations of these hormones in children with obesity could afect gastric emptying, triggering GERD, was not supported by our data.