Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine serum concentrations of adiponectin (ApN), leptin and ghrelin in different stages of anorexia nervosa (AN) and to evaluate their relationships between biochemical, hormonal and anthropometric parameters.

Materials and methods: The study is composed of four groups. Group 1: Treatment-naïve patients with a recent diagnosis of AN (n: 19), Group 2: The weight recovered (10% increase in body weight compared with baseline) subgroup of group 1 at the end of a mean 117.72±98.14 days of follow-up (n: 12), Group 3: Recovered patients with a previous history of AN but normal menstrual cycles and body weight at the present time (n: 10), Group 4: constitutionally thin healthy young women with normal menstrual cycles (n: 10). Blood samples were obtained for measurements of biochemical parameters, ApN, leptin and ghrelin and body composition was determined by bioimpedance analysis.

Results: Mean age of group 1 was significantly lower compared with group 4 (19.6±3.6 years versus 24.0±2.8 years, P<0.001). Although serum leptin concentrations were significantly lower in group 1 patients compared with group 3 and 4 (5.6±10.8 ng/ml; 10.9±6.9 ng/ml and 6.1±1.7 ng/ml respectively; P<0.05 for comparisons), leptin/fat mass (kg) ratios were significantly higher in group 1 patients compared with constitutionally thin controls (4.3±4.6 ng/ml per kg versus 1.1±0.5 ng/ml per kg, P<0.01). Leptin/fat mass ratio decreased significantly after weight regain in 12 patients (3.5±2.2 ng/ml per kg versus 1.7±1.4 ng/ml per kg, P<0.05). Adiponectin/fat mass ratio was significantly higher in group 1 patients compared with controls. No significant difference was observed among subgroups with respect to ghrelin concentrations. In the whole group leptin concentrations correlated significantly and positively with fat mass (kg), body mass index (BMI). Adiponectin and ghrelin concentrations showed significant negative correlations with BMI.

Conclusion: Increased leptin concentrations indexed to fat mass in AN patients may contribute to anorexia and may play a pathogenetic role.

The present work was supported by the Research Fund of Istanbul University.

Project No:503/05052006.