title: Endocrine alterations are the main determinants of cardiac remodelling in restrictive anorexia nervosa.
abstract: Objective. Anorexia nervosa is a condition of reduced hemodynamic load, characterized by varying degrees of cardiac remodelling, only in part related to reduced body mass; the mechanism for such variability, as well as its clinical significance, remains unknown. Aim of the study was to assess the possible influence of a great number of clinical, biochemical, and endocrine factors on cardiovascular parameters in restrictive anorexia nervosa. Method. Twenty-five female patients hospitalized for restrictive anorexia nervosa underwent extensive cardiovascular, clinical, and biochemical evaluation. Results. Height-adjusted and cardiac workload-matched left ventricular mass was significantly related to several endocrine parameters, blood pressure, and vasoreactivity. On multivariate analysis, IGF/GH ratio and systolic blood pressure were the only independent predictors of height-adjusted ventricular mass (adj-R(2) = 0.585; P = 0.001); when matching for cardiac workload, left ventricular mass was independently predicted only by GH and FT3 levels. All effects were independent of patient's weight and BMI. Conclusions. Indices of endocrine impairment seem to be the most relevant determinants of left ventricular hypotrophy in anorectic patients, apparently independent of reduced hemodynamic load and BMI. In particular, IGF/GH ratio and FT3 seem to particularly affect left ventricular mass in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular and Immunological Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carlomagno
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mercurio
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruvolo
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Senatore
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Halinskaya
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Affuso
authors.forename: Serafino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fazio