Egypt has the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) all over the world, with an estimated 8–10 million among a population of 68 million having been exposed to the virus and 5–7 million active infections (1Frank C., Mohamed M.K., Strickland G.T., Lavanchy D., Arthur R.R., Magder L.S., e al. The role of parenteral antischistosomal therapy in the spread of hepatitis C virus in Egypt Lancet 2000 ;  355 : 887-891 [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti). It is considered the most common aetiology of chronic liver disease (CLD) in Egypt, where prevalence of antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) is 10-fold greater than in the United States and Europe (2Goldstone A.P., Thomas E.L., Brynes A.E., Castroman G., Edwards R., Ghatei M.A., e al. Elevated fasting plasma ghrelin in prader-willi syndrome adults is not solely explained by their reduced visceral adiposity and insulin resistance J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004 ;  89 : 1718-1726 [cross-ref]

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti, 3Strickland G.T., Elhefni H., Salman T., Waked I., Abdel-Hamid M., Mikhail N.N., e al. Role of hepatitis C infection in chronic liver disease in Egypt Am J Trop Med Hyg 2002 ;  67 : 436-442

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti).

We have studied the role of plasma ghrelin, an orexigenic hormone that was found to correlate with malnourishment in CLD depending on Child classification. Sixty patients were divided in three groups according to Child classification and were compared to normal healthy controls (20 subjects). There was a highly significant correlation of plasma ghrelin and body mass index (BMI), mid arm circumference (MAC), waist circumference (WC) and tricuspid skin fold thickness (TSF). Also plasma ghrelin was specific and sensitive by the ROC curve analysis to BMI, which would indicate a new marker for malnourishment and possibility of a novel therapeutic approach.