title: No changes in serum ghrelin levels in female patients with bulimia nervosa.
abstract: It has been reported that fasting plasma ghrelin levels may play a role in the pathophysiology of eating disorders. In this study, the authors examined whether serum levels of ghrelin were altered in the patients with bulimia nervosa (BN). We enrolled 18 female patients with BN, and 21 age-matched female controls for this study. Eating-related psychopathology, depressive symptoms were evaluated by using the Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE) and the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Serum levels of ghrelin were measured by Ghrelin enzyme immunoassay kit. There were no significant differences in serum ghrelin levels between the patients with BN and normal controls. Furthermore, the authors did not found correlation between serum ghrelin levels and clinical parameters in the patients with BN. Our study suggests that serum ghrelin levels in the patients with BN were indistinguishable from normal controls. Therefore, it is unlikely that ghrelin plays a role in the pathophysiology of BN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Inohana 1-8-1, Chiba City, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. nakazato@faculty.chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazato
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shiina
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koizumi
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitsumoti
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Masaomi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iyo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000097:blood; D002032:Bulimia / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones