Low insulin-like growth factor I and leukopenia in anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
Considering that leukopenia and anemia are commonly observed in anorexia nervosa (AN) and that growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) markedly influence the activation, growth and survival of hemopoietic cells, we sought for possible relationships between hematologic parameters and the GH-IGF-I axis in a group of patients with AN.


METHODS
Twenty patients were studied. Leukocyte and erythrocyte counts, as well as baseline serum GH levels and IGF-I standard deviation score (SDS) values, were determined in each participant and correlations between parameters were searched.


RESULTS
Leukocyte and erythrocyte counts, as well as IGF-I SDS values, were significantly lower, conversely GH was significantly higher in AN patients than in normal weight participants. In patients, IGF-I SDS values were positively correlated with leukocyte count and BMI, whereas no correlation was found between IGF-I SDS and hemoglobin or erythrocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
The demonstration of a positive correlation between leukocyte number and circulating IGF-I in AN suggests a likely pathogenetic role of IGF-I deficiency in this hematologic abnormality.
Polli
Nicoletta
N
Department of Medical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Scacchi
Massimo
M
Pecori Giraldi
Francesca
F
Sormani
Marica
M
Zappulli
Daniela
D
Cavagnini
Francesco
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D005260:Female; D006405:Hematology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*
D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I