Background Cyanotic patients have potential growth retardation and malnutrition due to hypoxemia and other reasons. Ghrelin is a novel endogenous growth hormone secretagogue that has effects on growth and cardiovascular activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the plasma level and myocardial expression of ghrelin and insulin-like growth factor-1 （IGF-1） using an immature piglet model of chronic cyanotic congenital heart defects with decreased pulmonary blood flow. Methods Twelve weanling Chinese piglets underwent procedures of main pulmonary artery-left atrium shunt with pulmonary artery banding or sham operation as control. Four weeks later, hemodynamic parameters were measured. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for plasma ghrelin and IGF-1 level measurement were performed. Ventricular ghrelin and IGF-1 mRNA expressions were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results Four weeks after surgical procedure, the cyanotic model produced lower arterial oxygen tension （（68.73±15.09） mmHg）, arterial oxygen saturation （（82.35±8.63）%）, and higher arterial carbon dioxide tension （（51.83±6.12） mmHg）, hematocrit （（42.67±3.83）%） and hemoglobin concentration （（138.17±16.73） g/L） than the control piglets （（194.08±98.79） mmHg, （96.43±7.91）%, （36.9±4.73） mmHg, （31.17±3.71）%, （109.83±13.75） g/L） （all P 〈0.05）. Plasma ghrelin level was significantly higher in the cyanotic model group in comparison to the control （P=0.004）, and the plasma IGF-1 level was significantly lower than control （P=0.030）. Compared with control animals, the expression of ghrelin mRNAs in the ventricular myocardium was significantly decreased in the cyanotic model group （P=0.000）, and the expression of IGF-1 mRNAs was elevated （P=0.001）. Conclusions Chronic cyanotic congenital heart defects model was successfully established. Plasma ghrelin level and myocardial IGF-1 mRNA expression were significantly up-regulated, while plasm
WANG Dong LIU Ying-long LU Xiao-dong ZHU Yao-bin LING Feng LIU Ai-jun LI Gang XU Yu-lin
