September 04, 1999
Patients with anorexia nervosa of the restricting (AN-R) and purging (AN-P) subtypes were studied to determine if there was a differential effect on leptin levels. It was hypothesized that the AN-P subgroup would have elevated leptin compared to the AN-R subgroup. Fasting plasma and anthropormorphic measurements were collected from 8 women with AN-R and 5 with AN-P. Eleven women served as controls.
Overall, the plasma leptin correlated with body mass index (BMI; R = 0.432, p < .05). The AN-P subgroup had elevated leptin compared to the AN-R subgroup (3.8 ± 0.8 vs. 1.5 ± 0.2 ng/ml, p < .05) despite similar BMI (16.0 ±0.5 vs. 14.8 ± 0.8 kg/m2). Additionally, the AN-P subgroup had similar plasma leptins as controls (3.8 ± 0.8 vs. 3.6 ± 0.1) despite different BMI (16.0 ± 0.5 vs. 20.2 ± 0.2, p < .001). Cortisol in the AN-P subgroup trended to be higher than in the restricting anorectics (21.8 ± 3.0 vs. 15.6 ± 1.3, p = .06). In AN, leptin was elevated in AN-P vs. AN. This may be due to increased glucocorticoid stimulation of leptin.
Read the article in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.
- Mehler PS, Donahoo WT, Eckel RH. Leptin Levels in Restricting and Purging Anorectics. International Journal of Eating Disorders 26(2):189-194, 1999. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1098-108X(199909)26:2<189::AID-EAT8>3.0.CO;2-V
