Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Restrictive anorexia nervosa (AN) presents an adaptive appetite regulating profile including mainly high levels of ghrelin. Because this adaptive mechanism is not effective on food intake, other appetite regulating peptides need to be explored. 26RFa is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that stimulates appetite, gonadotropin release and bone metabolism. The aim of the current study was to evaluate circadian levels of 26RFa in AN patients compared with healthy subjects, other eating disorders and constitutional thinness (CT).

Subjects and methods: Twelve-point circadian profiles of plasma 26RFa levels were measured in five groups of age-matched young women were included in the study: 19 restrictive AN (AN-R), 10 AN with bingeing/purging episodes (AN-BP), 14 with CT, 10 bulimic (BN) and 10 normal weight controls.

Results: Significant circadian variations of 26 RFA were noticed in controls with higher values in the morning and abrupt decrease at noon. 24-h mean 26RFa levels were significantly increased in AN-R and AN-BP (P<0.001), predominantly in the afternoon and evening when compared to controls. Pre-prandial rises of 26 RFA were noticed in AN patients. Mean 26RFa trend to be higher in CT than in controls (P=0.06) and significantly lower than in AN. BN patients presented a circadian profile of 26RFa similar to that of controls.

Conclusion: High levels of circulating 26RFa observed in AN patients reflects an adaptive mechanism of the organism to promote energy intake and to increase fat stores in response to a deficit in energy balance.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This work was supported, however funding details unavailable.