title: Elevated myocardial enzymes and natriuretic peptides in anorexia nervosa: prototypic condition for the pathophysiology of cachexia?
abstract: We report on a patient suffering from chronic anorexia nervosa who in the course of treatment showed elevated high-sensitive troponin T, creatine kinase and most markedly N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Elevated enzymes improved significantly throughout the course of treatment without cardiac specific medication but exceeded the normal range for weeks. Abnormally high myocardial enzymes and NT-proBNP in cachectic anorectic patients might resemble conditions of cardiac cachexia. A review of the available literature is provided. Further research is required to explain the pathophysiological meaning of the abnormal laboratory findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. arne.zastrow@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zastrow
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giannitsis
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katus
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.forename: Hans-Christoph
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Friederich
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mussler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D002100:Cachexia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020107:Troponin T; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D003402:Creatine Kinase