title: Metabolic dysfunction in anorexia nervosa.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by self-induced energy deficit and low body weight with major consequences for most organ systems and a tendency towards self-perpetuation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare metabolic responses to glucose and exercise in women hospitalized with AN (n = 10) before and after 6-weeks weight gain program and in lean healthy weight women (BMI < 22 kg/m(2)) (n = 7).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Weight, body composition, indirect calorimetry, and response of serum insulin, glucose, adiponectin and leptin to oral glucose (75 g) and to 30-min of cycling at 50 rpm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with AN had similar lean mass to controls, but had significantly less body fat. Adiponectin was 43% higher (p < 0.01) and leptin 47% lower in AN subjects versus controls (p = 0.04). In response to moderate exercise, fasting glucose increased in AN (p < 0.05), but was unchanged in controls. After glucose ingestion, a trend towards a greater increase in diet-induced thermogenesis was also observed in patients with AN (p = 0.07). Despite a further 6 weeks as in patients, weight was not significantly changed in AN. Similarly, glucose, insulin, leptin or adiponectin were not altered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AN patients appear metabolically healthy under resting conditions, but their responses to physiological stressors differed from those of controls. Potential impediments to weight gain should be further investigated to define mechanisms with a view to improving the effectiveness of nutritional management.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes and Obesity Research Program, Garvan Institute for Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: Leonie K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Heilbronn
authors.affiliation: Diabetes and Obesity Research Program, Garvan Institute for Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: Kerry-Lee
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Milner
authors.affiliation: Diabetes and Obesity Research Program, Garvan Institute for Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: Adamandia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kriketos
authors.affiliation: Diabetes and Obesity Research Program, Garvan Institute for Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia.
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Diabetes and Obesity Research Program, Garvan Institute for Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia. Electronic address:l.campbell@garvan.org.au.
authors.forename: Lesley V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Campbell