The responses of plasma adrenocorticotropin and cortisol to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and cerebrospinal fluid immunoreactive CRH in anorexia nervosa patients.
Pituitary-adrenocortical responses to the iv injection of 100 micrograms synthetic ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) were studied in 13 patients with anorexia nervosa, and the concentrations of immunoreactive CRH in cerebrospinal fluid were measured in 7 of them. Mean basal levels of plasma ACTH and cortisol were 32 +/- 5 pg/ml (+/- SEM) and 21.1 +/- 1.5 micrograms/dl, respectively. The latter value was significantly higher than that in age-matched normal women (P less than 0.005). The mean increments of plasma ACTH and cortisol in response to CRH injection in those 13 patients were 21 +/- 5 pg/ml and 5.3 +/- 1.7 micrograms/dl, respectively, significantly lower than those in normal women (58 +/- 6 pg/ml and 15.3 +/- 7.7 micrograms/dl, respectively; P less than 0.005). When 4 patients were reexamined after weight gains of between 3 and 22 kg, their responses to the CRH injection increased. The mean concentration of immunoreactive CRH in the cerebrospinal fluid of seven patients was 30.8 +/- 3.9 pg/ml (+/- SEM), which was higher than the value of 18.4 +/- 1.1 pg/ml (P less than 0.005) in control subjects with cervical spondylosis. These findings suggest the possibility that hypersecretion of CRH may occur in patients with anorexia nervosa.
D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013997:Time Factors
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone