title: Concentration patterns of plasma dehydroepiandrosterone, delta 5-androstenediol and their sulphates, testosterone and cortisol in normal healthy women and in women with anorexia nervosa.
abstract: Plasma levels of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHAS), delta 5-androstenediol (delta 5-DIOL), delta 5-androstenediol sulphate (delta 5-DIOL-S) and testosterone were determined every 2 h from 10.00 to 20.00 h in 8 normal women and 10 with anorexia nervosa. Plasma levels of cortisol. DHA and delta 5-DIOL were significantly (P less than 0.001) higher while DHAS levels were significantly (P less than 0.001) lower in the anorexic women. The levels of delta 5-DIOL-S and testosterone were similar in both groups of women. In the normal women there were significant (P less than 0.001) diurnal fluctuations in the levels of cortisol, DHA and DHAS with high levels in the morning and a nadir in the evening; however, there were significant P less than 0.001) 'reverse' diurnal fluctuations in the levels of delta 5-DIOL, delta 5-DIOL-S and testosterone with low levels in the morning and elevated levels in the evening. In the anorexia nervosa women there was a loss of the diurnal variation in the levels of cortisol, DHA and DHAS and delta 5-DIOL-S; the diurnal variations of delta 5-DIOL and testosterone levels in the anorexic women were similar to those in the normal women. In general, these findings support the suggestion of a disturbance in the mechanisms regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function resulting from a primary hypothalamic defect and/or abnormal alterations in steroid metabolism associated with the malnutrition in anorexia nervosa.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Sirinathsinghji
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Mills
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015114:Androstenediol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D000734:Androstenediols / Q000097:blood*; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000734:Androstenediols; D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; C033537:5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol sulfate; D015114:Androstenediol; D006854:Hydrocortisone