title: Growth impairment and growth hormone-IGF-1 axis in infantile anorexia nervosa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infantile anorexia nervosa (AN) is a specific eating disorder of prepubertal children. Poor data are available on growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) axis in this disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report on a boy (4.5 years) with progressive growth impairment. At psychiatric assessment (DC: 0-3 R, AXIS I), he fulfilled all required criteria for diagnosis of infantile AN. Endocrine evaluation suggested impaired peripheral response to GH (high GH and low IGF-1 levels), likely related to energy deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Auxological evaluation was shown as raw data and SDS using Italian reference values. GH secretion was assessed by arginine provocative test; IGFI generation test was done administering recombinant GH (0.05 mg/kg/day for four days). Psychiatric assessment was performed according to the DC:0-3R protocol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Impaired GH-IGF-1 axis may be involved in growth delay of children with infantile AN. A strict collaboration between endocrine pediatricians and child psychiatrists is advisable in the assessment of poor growing children without recognizable organic causes, showing normal/high GH levels and low IGF-1 values.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghione
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maestro
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dati
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: Giampiero I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Baroncelli
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bertelloni
mesh_terms: D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I