The Levels of Ghrelin, Leptin, TNF‐<i>α</i>, and IL‐6 in Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma due to HBV and HDV Infection

Abstract

In cirrhosis and HCC due to HBV or HDV, serum ghrelin levels were increased with a corresponding decrease in serum leptin concentrations, acting as a physiological counterpart of ghrelin. The increasing of ghrelin is more prominent in Child C cirrhosis and the level was correlated with TNF-alpha. The presence of nutritional and metabolic abnormalities, including malnutrition, in cirrhosis and HCC may, at least partly, elucidate high ghrelin and low leptin levels.