Assessments of plasma acyl-ghrelin levels in Parkinson’s disease patients treated with deep brain stimulation

•STN DBS is an established treatment in advanced PD, however there is limited evidence that may causes changes of ghrelin levels.•The results showed that STN DBS therapy elicited a modification of ghrelin levels. Body weight increased 3 months after surgery. There was no correlation between the ghrelin plasma levels and BMI.•Further research is warranted to explore of the gastrointestinal endogenous peptides in patients following STN DBS and the role of ghrelin in the gut/brain hormonal axis. Gastrointestinal dysfunction is the most common non-motor symptom in Parkinson’s disease (PD) with rates rising as the disease progresses. Deep brain stimulation of subthalamic nucleus (STN DBS) improves motor functions in advanced PD. However, the effect of STN DBS on ghrelin concentration and consequently on motility disturbances as well as body weight is unclear. The objective of this study was to assess acyl-ghrelin levels in comparison to weight in advanced PD patients treated with STN DBS. Plasma concentrations of acyl-ghrelin was measured in 29 PD patients in the fasting state and at 30, 60, 120, and 180 min after a standard meal preoperatively and 3 months after surgery. The level of acyl-ghrelin in PD patients were compared with 30 age and sex-matched healthy controls. We reported that mean plasma acyl-ghrelin levels were decreased in PD patients before STN DBS in fasting (p = 0.0003) and in 30 min postprandial phase (p = 0.04) compared with healthy controls. The plasma acyl-ghrelin levels after STN DBS increased in pre-prandial and postprandial phase in PD patients at the investigated time points. Body weight gained on average 2.33 kg during the first 3 months after surgery. There was no correlation between the acyl-ghrelin plasma levels and BMI. After STN DBS in fasting and postprandial phase plasma acyl-ghrelin levels were increased. The results showed that STN DBS therapy elicited a modification of ghrelin levels, increasing its concentration in pre- and postprandial state. In addition, body weight was increased during 3 months after surgery.