SerumConcentrations of Leptin and Nutritional Parameters in Female Patientswith Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia

Overview

Eating Disorders, Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN) are re-cognized to be frequently a chronic disease gradually leading to malnutritionwith a series of metabolic complications. A decreased food intake in the firstphase of anorexia nervosa results in the fat stores depletion, and sub-sequently in the muscle mass reduction. The aim of our study was to compa-re serum concentrations of adipocyte-produced protein hormone leptin, thatprecisely reflects the total body fat content, in patients with AN F50.0 (m =14) and BN F50.2 (n = 5) with the group of healthy age matched women (n =11). In addition, serum concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, total pro-tein, albumin and prealbumin in both groups were followed.We have found significantly lower values of body weight, body mass index,serum leptin and total protein levels in patients with Eating Disorders, espe-cially in anorexia nervosa in comparison with control group. No statisticallysignificant differences were found in serum lipids, albumin and prealbumin concentrations. Serum leptin levels in both groups positively correlated withbody mass index and in control group also negative correlation with serumcholesterol was found. The results of our study thus show that serum leptinconcentrations are very sensitive indicator of the nutritional status in Eas-ting Disorders mainly in patients with anorexia nervosa. The drop of serumleptin appears already in a period, when additional nutritional parameters(albumin, prealbumin) remain within normal values.

Key words:
leptin, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, body mass index,cholesterol, total protein.