title: Therapeutic potential of ghrelin in restricting-type anorexia nervosa.
abstract: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by a decrease in caloric intake and malnutrition. It is associated with a variety of medical morbidities as well as significant mortality. Nutritional support is of paramount importance to prevent impaired quality of life later in life in affected patients. Some patients with restricting-type AN who are fully motivated to gain body weight cannot increase their food intake because of malnutrition-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction. Chronicity of AN prevents participation in social activities and leads to increased medical expenses. Therefore, there is a pressing need for effective appetite-stimulating therapies for patients with AN. Ghrelin is the only orexigenic hormone that can be given intravenously. Intravenous infusion of ghrelin is reported to increase food intake and body weight in healthy subjects as well as in patients with poor nutritional status. Here, we introduce the results of a pilot study that investigated the effects of ghrelin on appetite, energy intake, and nutritional parameters in five patients with restricting-type AN, who are fully motivated to gain body weight but could not increase their food intake because of malnutrition-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Center, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, Japan. marihs@grips.ac.jp
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hotta
authors.forename: Rina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ohwada
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akamizu
authors.forename: Tamotsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shibasaki
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kangawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects; D019167:Appetite Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D010865:Pilot Projects; D059748:Proteolysis; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019167:Appetite Stimulants; D015415:Biomarkers; D054439:Ghrelin; D005947:Glucose