title: Association of plasma hormones, nutritional status, and stressful life events in anorexia nervosa patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the current study was to analyze the relationships between plasma hormones, body weight parameters and stressful life events in anorexia nervosa (AN).
  
  
  METHODS
  72 females in the active phase of AN were evaluated. 52 healthy women constituted the control group. RIA kits were used to measure plasma hormone levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentrations of leptin, insulin, IGF-1, triiodothyronine, LH, FSH, estradiol, and testosterone were significantly lower and those of cortisol and growth hormone significantly higher in the AN than the control group. No hormonal differences between restrictive and binge-purging AN subtypes were found. Leptin, IGF-1, gonadotropins, and sex steroids correlated significantly negatively and growth hormone positively with total reduction of body weight or the degree of undernutrition. Associations were also found between lower insulin concentration and family violence, lower cortisol and psychiatric diseases in the family, higher testosterone and patient's alcohol or drug abuse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The changed activity of the somatotropin-somatomedin, gonadal, and corticotrophin axes corresponds to the clinical stage of AN. Plasma IGF-1 seems to be the most sensitive and useful independent hormonal marker of cachexia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Śmiarowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Safranow
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Violetta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dziedziejko
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bialecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Metabolic Diseases and Internal Diseases, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koziołek
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Samochowiec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002100:Cachexia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008016:Life Change Events; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012801:Sibling Relations; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006728:Hormones; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D006854:Hydrocortisone