title: Purging behavior modulates the relationships of hormonal and behavioral parameters in women with eating disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is ample consensus that there is a neurophysiological basis for eating disorders (ED). Traits of personality translate into behavioral traits, purging being a well-defined transversal example. The direct implication of steroid hormones on ED has seldom been studied, despite their effects on behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  After psychological interview analysis, 57 ED female patients (31 purgative and 26 nonpurgative) and 17 female controls were studied. Metabolic parameters and analysis of androgen, estrogen and glucocorticoid hormones were determined in parallel to the psychopathological profile (EDI-2 and SCL-90-R) and anthropometric measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Psychometric tests showed clear differences between ED and controls, but there were few hormonal-metabolic significant differences. In purgative ED there were repeated (significant) positive correlations with corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) and negative correlations with sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) versus eating and general psychopathology. In nonpurging ED there were positive correlations for deoxycortisol, free fatty acids and albumin and negative for aspartate aminotransferase and psychopathological traits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data suggest that CBG/corticosteroids and sexual hormones/SHBG are involved in purging behavior and its psychopathology and severity scores. Correlations of selected psychometric data and the CBG/SHBG levels in purging may eventually result in clinical markers. This approach may provide additional clues for understanding the pathogenesis of ED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: del Mar Grasa
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Villarreal
authors.forename: Roser
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Granero
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vilà
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Penelo
authors.forename: Zaida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Agüera
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Murcia
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: del Mar Romero
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Menchón
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Remesar
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernández-Aranda
authors.forename: Marià
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alemany
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014156:Transcortin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D014156:Transcortin