Resting energy expenditure and plasma leptin levels in anorexia nervosa during acute refeeding.
OBJECTIVE
To examine changes in plasma leptin levels and resting energy expenditure (REE) during short-term refeeding of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN).


METHODS
This was a longitudinal study of 21 women meeting the DSM-IV criteria for AN who were admitted to the hospital for renutrition. Height, weight, percent body fat (assessed by skin fold thickness), REE (measured by indirect calorimetry), and circulating plasma leptin concentration were assessed at the time of admission and 7 days later.


RESULTS
Over the course of 1 week of refeeding, body mass index (BMI) increased 0.75 +/- 0.15 kg/m(2) (p <.0001), body fat increased 0.9 +/- 0.2% (p <.0001), and REE increased 107 +/- 33 kcal/24 hr (p =.0037). The change in mean leptin levels was not statistically significant (0.45 +/- 0.44 ng/ml; p =.32).


CONCLUSIONS
Leptin is unlikely responsible for the increase in REE observed with short-term refeeding.
Pauly
R P
RP
Eating Disorders Clinic, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Lear
S A
SA
Hastings
F C
FC
Birmingham
C L
CL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000628:therapy*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004435:Eating; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D018529:Nutritional Support
D020738:Leptin