Altered erythrocyte Na-K pump in anorectic patients.
The status of the erythrocyte sodium pump was evaluated in a group of patients suffering from anorexia nervosa and a group of healthy female control subjects. Anorectic patients showed significantly higher mean values of digoxin-binding sites/cell (ie, the number of Na-K-ATPase units) with respect to control subjects while no differences were found in the specific 86Rb uptake (which reflects the Na-K-ATPase activity) between the two groups. A significant correlation was found between relative weight and the number of Na-K-ATPase pump units (r = -0.66; P less than 0.0001). Anorectic patients showed lower serum T3 concentrations (71.3 +/- 53 ng/dL) with respect to control subjects (100.8 +/- 4.7 ng/dL; P less than 0.0005) and a significant negative correlation between T3 levels and the number of pump units (r = -0.52; P less than 0.003) was found. Our study therefore shows that the erythrocyte Na-K pump may be altered in several anorectic patients. We suggest that this feature could be interrelated with the degree of underweight and/or malnutrition.
Pasquali
R
R
Strocchi
E
E
Malini
P
P
Casimirri
F
F
Ambrosioni
E
E
Melchionda
N
N
Labò
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000855:Anorexia / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D011868:Radioisotopes; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000378:metabolism; D012413:Rubidium; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood
D011868:Radioisotopes; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D004077:Digoxin; D012964:Sodium; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D012413:Rubidium; D011188:Potassium