title: Adrenal activity in anorexia nervosa.
abstract: Adrenocortical activity was studied in 19 emaciated women with anorexia nervosa. Relative to body size the patients' mean cortisol production rates of 0.591 mg/kg/day and 16.4 mg m2/day were significantly elevated compared to those of 0.322 mg/kg/day and 11.4 mg/m2/day for age and sex matched normal controls (p less than 0.001 and 0.02, respectively). The 24-hr mean plasma cortisol concentration in 18 patients was 10.6 microgram/dl and was significantly higher than that of the controls (6.8 microgram/dl, p less than 0.001). The average excretion of urinary free cortisol in nine patients was 205 microgram/day, significantly greater than that of 65 microgram/day in the controls (less than 0.01). Three patients underwent overnight suppression with 1 mg of dexamethasone and had inadequate responses. These data suggest that cortisol production is excessive in emaciated patients with anorexia nervosa due to a disturbance of the hypothalamic-pituitary mechanisms regulating adrenocortical function. The excessive adrenal activity may reflect certain psychobiological disturbances as well as the effects of malnutrition.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone