PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Shimizu, T AU - Kitamura, T AU - Yoshikawa, N AU - Suganuma, H AU - Hisata, K AU - Tanaka, K AU - Shinohara, K AU - Yamashiro, Y TI - Plasma levels of active ghrelin until 8 weeks after birth in preterm infants: relationship with anthropometric and biochemical measures AID - 10.1136/adc.2005.092379 DP - 2007 Jul 01 TA - Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition PG - F291--F292 VI - 92 IP - 4 4099 - http://fn.bmj.com/content/92/4/F291.short 4100 - http://fn.bmj.com/content/92/4/F291.full SO - Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed2007 Jul 01; 92 AB - This study investigated the relationship between plasma levels of ghrelin and postnatal growth in preterm infants. The levels of active ghrelin in cord blood and in plasma in 25 very low birthweight (VLBW) infants were measured. The results indicate that the levels of circulating active ghrelin markedly increases after birth in VLBW infants, and suggest that the increased levels of ghrelin reflects the maturation of ghrelin production in the stomach and an increased physiological need for ghrelin.