الفهرس 
Review of LiteratureOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
Abstract
SUMMARY
hronic liver diseases are the continuity of clinical or
biochemical evidence of hepatic dysfunction for longer
than six months. Chronic liver diseases in children are
relatively common disorders with minimal symptoms but longterm
risk of significant morbidity and mortality particularly in
developing countries.
Malnutrition is frequently seen in children with chronic
liver diseases and all children with chronic liver diseases must
undergo a periodic nutritional assessment as they are at a high
risk for malnutrition.
The aim of the present study is to assess the serum levels
of ghrelin in children with chronic liver diseases and to clarify
their correlation with different nutritional parameters.
This study was conducted on 60 children, 40 children with
chronic liver diseases (patients group) of different etiologies
recruited from Hepatology Clinic, Ain Shams University during
the period from September 2012 to May 2013 and 20 healthy
children (controls group) who were age and sex matched with
the patients group.
In all children serum ghrelin level was measured by
ELISA with correlation with different nutritional parameters,
and for patients detailed history, clinical examination and
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Summary
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laboratory investigations (CBC, liver enzymes, serum bilirubin,
serum albumin and prothombin time) were done.
Our study found a significant difference in the BMI
percentiles between children with chronic liver diseases and
healthy controls, and the serum ghrelin level in children with
chronic liver diseases was significantly higher than controls,
and also higher in patients had ascites than patients had no
ascites. Serum ghrelin level showed a significant correlation
with liver functions and haemoglobin level where it showed
positive correlation with ALT, prothrombin time and total
bilirubin levels and showed negative correlation with serum
albumin and haemoglobin levels. Serum ghrelin level showed
also a significant negative correlation with the studied anthropometric
parameter (BMI).