Prospective Evaluation of Ghrelin and Des-Acyl Ghrelin Plasma Levels in Children with Newly Diagnosed Epilepsy: Evidence for Reduced Ghrelin-to-Des-Acyl Ghrelin Ratio in Generalized Epilepsies

Children with epilepsy and identified as responders to antiseizure medications (ASMs) were found to present markedly higher ghrelin plasma levels when compared to drug-resistant patients. However, it was undetermined if this phenotype could be influenced by the ASMs. Here, we prospectively investigated total ghrelin and des-acyl ghrelin (DAG) plasma levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before and after ASM administration. Inclusion criteria were: (i) subject with a suspicion of epilepsy; (ii) age ranging from 0 to 16 years; and (iii) informed consent signed by parents or caregivers. Exclusion criteria were acute or chronic metabolic disorders with occasional convulsions but without epilepsy. Fifty patients were followed over a period of one year in Italian neuropediatric centers. Apart from a few exceptions, the majority of children were responsive to ASMs. No differences were found in total ghrelin and DAG levels before and after the treatment, but total ghrelin levels were significantly lower in children with generalized epilepsy compared to those with combined focal and generalized epilepsy. Moreover, the ghrelin-to-DAG ratio was also markedly lower in generalized epilepsies compared to all the other types of epilepsy. Finally, ghrelin was unchanged by ASMs, including the first (e.g., carbamazepine), second (levetiracetam), and third (lacosamide) generation of anticonvulsants.

Automated summary

Children with epilepsy who respond to ASMs have higher ghrelin levels, but these levels are not affected by ASMs. Ghrelin levels are lower in children with generalized epilepsy compared to other types of epilepsy, and the ghrelin-to-DAG ratio is also lower in generalized epilepsies.