Changes in regional fat redistribution and the effects of estrogen during spontaneous weight gain in women with anorexia nervosa

Neuroendocrine adaptations to starvation

Famine and starvation have punctuated the evolutionary past of the human species. As such, we have developed hormonal responses to undernutrition that minimize energy expenditure on processes that are not critical for the survival of the individual, such as reproduction. In this review, we discuss neuroendocrine adaptations to starvation including hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, growth hormone resistance, hypercortisolemia, and the downregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. We review the time-course of these adaptations by describing studies involving the short-term fasting of healthy individuals as well as studies describing the hormonal changes in states of chronic undernutrition, using individuals with anorexia nervosa as a model of chronic starvation. Lastly, we review representative clinical effects of chronic undernutrition.

Endocrinology of Underweight and Anorexia Nervosa

More than any other mental illness, the course, prognosis, and therapy of anorexia nervosa are shaped by the physical changes associated with being underweight. This article provides an overview of the endocrine changes associated with malnutrition and underweight. This overview serves as a basis for understanding the other articles in this special issue, which deal with the health risks associated with being underweight. In this context, the differences between underweight in anorexia nervosa and in constitutional thinness are of particular importance in assessing the impact of intentional weight loss. In this context, the regulation of hunger and satiety deserves special interest, as this is the area in which the intentional influence on body weight comes into play. Clinical consequences on, for example, fertility, bone metabolism, the homeostasis of, for example, serum glucose levels, or body temperature have been observed for a long time; nonetheless, the medical responses, apart from vitamin supplementations and advice to gain weight, are still limited. Therefore, emphasis was placed on the potential improvement of outcomes through the administration of central or peripheral hormones. Studies were identified on PubMed via a selection of relevant keywords; original texts that were cited in reviews were studied where it was advantageous. This review found some promising data on bone health and the administration of transdermal oestrogen, which is not yet widely used, as well as distinct hormonal markers to differentiate between CT and AN. We concluded that the continuous efforts to investigate the role of endocrinology in underweight and/or anorexia nervosa lead to outcome benefits and that more and higher-powered studies are needed.

Anorexia nervosa and muscle health: A systematic review of our current understanding and future recommendations for study

OBJECTIVE

Conduct a systematic review on muscle size and strength in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN).

METHOD

In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, we searched Pubmed for articles published between 1995 and 2022 using a combination of search terms related to AN and muscle size, strength, or metabolism. After two authors screened articles and extracted data, 30 articles met inclusion criteria. Data were coded, and a risk bias was conducted for each study.

RESULTS

The majority of studies focused on muscle size/lean mass (60%, n = 18) and energy expenditure (33%, n = 9), with few studies (17%, n = 5) investigating muscle function or possible mechanisms underlying muscle size (20%, n = 6). Studies supported that individuals with AN have smaller muscle size and reduced energy expenditure relative to controls. In some studies (33%, n = 10) recovery from AN was not sufficient to restore muscle mass or function. Mechanisms underlying short and long-term musculoskeletal alterations have not been thoroughly explored.

DISCUSSION

Muscle mass and strength loss may be an unexplored component of physiological deterioration during and after AN. More research is necessary to understand intramuscular alterations during AN and interventions to facilitate muscle mass and functional gain following weight restoration in AN.

PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE

Muscle health is important for optimal health and is reduced in individuals with AN. However, we do not understand how muscle is altered at the cellular level throughout the course of AN. Here we review what is currently known regarding muscle health during AN and with weight restoration.

Endocrine complications of anorexia nervosa

An important component in the treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN) is the evaluation and management of its endocrine complications, including functional hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and increased fracture risk. The body's adaptive response to chronic starvation results in many endocrine abnormalities, most of which are reversible upon weight restoration. A multidisciplinary team with experience in treating patients with AN is critical to improving endocrine outcomes in patients with this disorder, including in women with AN who are interested in fertility. Much less is understood about endocrine abnormalities in men, as well as sexual and gender minorities, with AN. In this article, we review the pathophysiology and evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of endocrine complications in AN, as well as discuss the status of clinical research in this area.

Anorexia nervosa and gut microbiome: implications for weight change and novel treatments

INTRODUCTION

Host-microbiota interactions may be involved in many physical and psychological functions ranging from the digestion of food, maintenance of immune homeostasis, to the regulation of mood and cognition. Microbiome dysbiosis has been consistently described in many diseases. The pathogenesis and weight regulation mechanism in anorexia nervosa (AN) also seem to be implicated in the dynamic bidirectional adjustment of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. This review aims at elucidating this relationship.

AREA COVERED

This review starts with a description of pathogenic gut-brain pathways. Next, we focus on the latest research on the associations between gut microbiota and weight change in the condition of AN. The strategies to alter the intestinal microbiome for the treatment of this disorder are discussed, including dietary, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation.

EXPERT OPINION

Gut microbiome is inextricably linked to AN. It may regulate weight gain in the process of refeeding via the microbiota-gut-brain axis, while the specific mechanism has yet to be clearly established. In the future, a better understanding of gut microbiome could have implications for developing microbiome-based prevention, diagnostics and therapies.

Weight trajectories and abdominal adiposity in COVID-19 survivors with overweight/obesity

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 is associated with unintentional weight loss. Little is known on whether and how patients regain the lost weight. We assessed changes in weight and abdominal adiposity over a three-month follow-up after discharge in COVID-19 survivors.

METHODS

In this sub-study of a large prospective observational investigation, we collected data from individuals who had been hospitalized for COVID-19 and re-evaluated at one (V1) and three (V2) months after discharge. Patient characteristics upon admission and anthropometrics, waist circumference and hunger levels assessed during follow-up were analyzed across BMI categories.

RESULTS

One-hundred-eighty-five COVID-19 survivors (71% male, median age 62.1 [54.3; 72.1] years, 80% with overweight/obesity) were included. Median BMI did not change from admission to V1 in normal weight subjects (-0.5 [-1.2; 0.6] kg/m², p = 0.08), but significantly decreased in subjects with overweight (-0.8 [-1.8; 0.3] kg/m², p < 0.001) or obesity (-1.38 [-3.4; -0.3] kg/m², p < 0.001; p < 0.05 vs. normal weight or obesity). Median BMI did not change from V1 to V2 in normal weight individuals (+0.26 [-0.34; 1.15] kg/m², p = 0.12), but significantly increased in subjects with overweight (+0.4 [0.0; 1.0] kg/m², p < 0.001) or obesity (+0.89 [0.0; 1.6] kg/m², p < 0.001; p = 0.01 vs. normal weight). Waist circumference significantly increased from V1 to V2 in the whole group (p < 0.001), driven by the groups with overweight or obesity. At multivariable regression analyses, male sex, hunger at V1 and initial weight loss predicted weight gain at V2.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with overweight or obesity hospitalized for COVID-19 exhibit rapid, wide weight fluctuations that may worsen body composition (abdominal adiposity). CLINICALTRIALS.

GOV REGISTRATION

NCT04318366.

Cortisol reactivity in patients with anorexia nervosa after stress induction

There is a need of experimental studies on biomarkers in patients with anorexia nervosa (P_AN), especially in the context of stress, in order to foster understanding in illness maintenance. To this end, the cortisol response to an acute stressor was investigated in n = 26 P_AN (BMI: 19.3 ± 3.4 kg/m²), age, and gender matched to n = 26 healthy controls (HC; BMI: 23.08 ± 3.3 kg/m²). For this purpose, salivary cortisol parameters were assessed in two experimental conditions: (1) rest/no intervention and (2) stress intervention (TSST; Trier Social Stress Test). In addition, psychological indicators of stress were assessed (Primary Appraisal Secondary Appraisal, Visual Analogue Scale, and Trier Inventory for the assessment of Chronic Stress), as well as psychological distress, depression, and eating disorder (ED) symptoms. A 2 × 2 × 8 ANOVA demonstrated elevated cortisol levels in P_AN in the resting condition. In the stress intervention no significant group effect in terms of cortisol (F (1, 50) = 0.69; p = 0.410; [Formula: see text]). A significant condition (F (1, 50) = 20.50; p = 0.000; [Formula: see text]) and time effect (F(2.71, 135.44) = 11.27; p = 0.000; [Formula: see text]) were revealed, as well as two significant interaction effects. First: Condition × group (F (1, 50) = 4.17, p = 0.046; [Formula: see text]) and second: Condition × time (F (2.71, 135.44) = 16.07, p = 0.000, [Formula: see text]). In terms of AUC_G, no significant differences between both groups were exhibited. Regardless, significant results were evinced in terms of an increase (AUC_i: F(1, 50) = 20.66, p = 0.015, [Formula: see text]), baseline to peak (+20 min post-TSST: t₅ = 16.51 (9.02), p = 0.029) and reactivity (M_PAN = 0.73 vs. M_HC = 4.25, p = 0.036). In addition, a significant correlation between AUC_G and BMI: r (24) = -0.42, p = 0.027 was demonstrated, but not between AUC_i and BMI (r (24) = -0.26, p = 0.20). Psychological indices suggested higher levels of chronic and perceived stress in P_AN relative to HC. However, stress perception in the stress condition (VAS) was comparable. Additional analyses demonstrated that ED-symptoms are highly correlated with psychological distress and depression, but not with BMI. In addition, it could be demonstrated that reactivity is rather related to ED-symptoms and psychological burden than to BMI. In conclusion, P_AN showed elevated basal cortisol levels at rest and exhibited a blunted cortisol reactivity to the TSST as evinced by salivary cortisol parameters. Further, it was shown that weight recovery influences reversibility of hypercortisolemia, i.e., cortisol levels normalize with weight gain. However, HPAA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis) irregularities in terms of reactivity persist even at a BMI ≤ 19.3 (±3.4). Our data suggest that pronounced psychological burden in P_AN, have a greater impact on the HPAA functionality (secondary to the ED) than BMI itself.

Differential glucose metabolism in weight restored women with anorexia nervosa

Women with anorexia nervosa (AN) develop visceral adiposity associated with insulin resistance after partial weight restoration, but little is known about the glucose homeostasis after full weight restoration. In this investigation, we studied glucose homeostasis in twenty-four women with AN before (AN) and after weight restoration (WR) at a single institution, with both restricting and binge-purge subtypes (>70% binge-purge), compared to gender-, age- and BMI-matched healthy controls (HC). Participants underwent fasting plasma hormone analysis, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and body composition analysis. Glucose homeostasis was assessed by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) and OGTT, and parameters were analyzed for association with body composition. We observed that a subset of the WR patients (21%) had metabolically unhealthy HOMA insulin resistance estimates (HOMA-IR), while this was not seen in the control group. Overall mean HOMA-IR between groups were not significantly different. Mean glucose reactivity was higher in the WR group than HC women (p = 0.008, Hedges' g = 0.811), and time-adjusted glucose reactivity in the WR group was inversely associated with visceral adiposity (r = -0.559, p = 0.006), but not with fat mass (r = -273, p = 0.208) or lean mass (r = -0.002, p = 0.994). Our findings suggest that glucose response during the OGTT in women with AN is altered in association with visceral adiposity acutely after full weight restoration, but that they do not develop overt insulin resistance. Glucometabolic profiling could offer novel insights to energy homeostasis acutely after weight restoration.

Quantitative analyses of adiposity dynamics in zebrafish

Adipose tissues often exhibit subtle, quantitative differences between individuals, leading to a graded series of adiposity phenotypes at the population level. Robust, quantitative analyses are vital for studying these differences. In this Commentary we highlight two articles from our lab that employ sensitive new methods in zebrafish capable of delineating complex and quantitative adiposity phenotypes. In the first article, we utilized in vivo imaging to systematically quantify zebrafish adipose tissues. We identified 34 regionally distinct zebrafish adipose tissues and developed statistical models to predict the size and variance of each adipose tissue over the course of zebrafish growth. We then employed these models to identify effects of strain and diet on adipose tissue growth. In the second article, we employed deep phenotyping to study complex disease-related adiposity traits. Using this methodology, we identified that adipose tissues have unique capacities to re-deposit lipid following food restriction and re-feeding. These distinct re-deposition potentials led to widespread fat distribution changes following re-feeding. We discuss how these novel findings may provide relevance to health conditions such as anorexia nervosa. Together, the strategies described in these two articles can be used as unbiased and quantitative methods to uncover new relationships between genotype, diet and adiposity.

Body composition in anorexia nervosa: Meta-analysis and meta-regression of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies

OBJECTIVE

Clinically, anorexia nervosa (AN) presents with altered body composition. We quantified these alterations and evaluated their relationships with metabolites and hormones in patients with AN longitudinally.

METHOD

In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, we conducted 94 meta-analyses on 62 samples published during 1996-2019, comparing up to 2,319 pretreatment, posttreatment, and weight-recovered female patients with AN with up to 1,879 controls. Primary outcomes were fat mass, fat-free mass, body fat percentage, and their regional distribution. Secondary outcomes were bone mineral density, metabolites, and hormones. Meta-regressions examined relationships among those measures and moderators.

RESULTS

Pretreatment female patients with AN evidenced 50% lower fat mass (mean difference [MD]: -8.80 kg, 95% CI: -9.81, -7.79, Q = 1.01 × 10-63 ) and 4.98 kg (95% CI: -5.85, -4.12, Q = 1.99 × 10-28 ) lower fat-free mass, with fat mass preferentially stored in the trunk region during early weight restoration (4.2%, 95% CI: -2.1, -6.2, Q = 2.30 × 10-4 ). While the majority of traits returned to levels seen in healthy controls after weight restoration, fat-free mass (MD: -1.27 kg, 95% CI: -1.79, -0.75, Q = 5.49 × 10-6 ) and bone mineral density (MD: -0.10 kg, 95% CI: -0.18, -0.03, Q = 0.01) remained significantly altered.

DISCUSSION

Body composition is markedly altered in AN, warranting research into these phenotypes as clinical risk or relapse predictors. Notably, the long-term altered levels of fat-free mass and bone mineral density suggest that these parameters should be investigated as potential AN trait markers.

RESUMENOBJETIVO

Clínicamente, la anorexia nervosa (AN) se presenta con alteraciones en la composición corporal. Cuantificamos estas alteraciones y evaluamos longitudinalmente su relación con metabolitos y hormonas en pacientes con AN. MÉTODO: De acuerdo con las pautas PRISMA, realizamos 94 meta-análisis en 62 muestras publicadas entre 1996-2019, comparando hasta 2,319 pacientes mujeres en pre-tratamiento, post-tratamiento, y recuperadas en base al peso con hasta 1,879 controles. Las principales medidas fueron masa grasa, masa libre de grasa, porcentaje de grasa corporal y su distribución regional. Las medidas secundarias fueron densidad mineral ósea, metabolitos y hormonas. Las meta-regresiones examinaron las relaciones entre esas medidas y moderadores.

RESULTADOS

Las pacientes femeninas con AN pre-tratamiento mostraron un 50% menos de masa grasa (MD: -8.80 kg, CI 95%: -9.81, -7.79, Q = 1.01 × 10-63 ) y 4.98 kg (CI 95%: -5.85, -4.12, Q = 1.99 × 10-28 ) menos de masa libre de grasa, con masa grasa preferentemente almacenada en la región del tronco durante la recuperación temprana del peso (4.2%, CI 95%: -2.1, -6.2, Q = 2.30 × 10-4 ). Aunque la mayoría de los rasgos regresaron a los niveles vistos en los controles sanos después de la restauración del peso, la masa libre de grasa (MD: -1.27 kg, CI 95%: -1.79, -0.75, Q = 5.49 × 10-6 ) y la densidad mineral ósea (MD: -0.10 kg, CI 95%: -0.18, -0.03, Q = 0.01) permanecieron significativamente alteradas. DISCUSIÓN: La composición corporal es marcadamente alterada en la AN, lo que garantiza la investigación en estos fenotipos como predictores de riesgo clínico o de recaída. Notablemente, la alteración a largo plazo de los niveles de masa libre de grasa y densidad mineral ósea sugieren que estos parámetros debe ser investigados como potenciales rasgos indicadores de AN.

Low bone mineral density in anorexia nervosa: Treatments and challenges

Anorexia nervosa, a psychiatric disease predominantly affecting women, is characterized by self- induced starvation and a resultant low-weight state. During starvation, a number of hormonal adaptations - including hypothalamic amenorrhea and growth hormone resistance - allow for decreased energy expenditure during periods of decreased nutrient intake, but these very same adaptations also contribute to the medical complications associated with chronic starvation, including low bone mass. Almost 90% of women with anorexia nervosa have bone mineral density (BMD) values more than one-standard deviation below the mean of healthy women at peak bone mineral density and this disease is associated with a significantly increased risk of fracture. Although multiple therapies have been studied for the treatment of low bone mass in anorexia nervosa, there are currently no approved therapies and few promising long-term therapeutic options. This review will outline the mediators of low bone mass in anorexia nervosa, discuss therapies that have been studied for the treatment of low BMD in this disorder, and highlight the important challenges that remain, including the differences in bone modeling in adolescents with anorexia nervosa as compared to adults, necessitating that potential therapies be tested in these two populations separately, and the paucity of long-term therapeutic strategies for treating bone loss in this disorder.

The paradox of marrow adipose tissue in anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by inappropriate nutrient intake resulting in low body weight. Multiple hormonal adaptations facilitate decreased energy expenditure in this state of caloric deprivation including non-thyroidal illness syndrome, growth hormone resistance, and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Although these hormonal adaptations confer a survival advantage during periods of negative energy balance, they contribute to the long-term medical complications associated with AN, the most common of which is significant bone loss and an increased risk of fracture. In recent years, marrow adipose tissue (MAT) has emerged as an important potential determinant of the low bone mass state characteristic of AN. Unlike subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue depots which are low in AN, MAT levels are paradoxically elevated and are inversely associated with BMD. In this review, we discuss what is known about MAT in AN and the proposed hormonal determinants of this adipose tissue depot.

Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase IIa clinical trial on the effects of an estrogen-progestin combination as add-on to inpatient psychotherapy in adult female patients suffering from anorexia nervosa

BACKGROUND

There is a need for novel treatment approaches in anorexia nervosa (AN). While there is broad knowledge with regard to altered appetite regulation and neuropsychological deficits in AN patients on the one hand, and the effects of estrogen replacement upon neuropsychological performance in healthy subjects on the other, up to now, no study has implemented estrogen replacement in AN patients, in order to examine its effects upon AN-associated and general psychopathology, neuropsychological performance and concentrations of peptide components of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and within appetite-regulating circuits.

METHODS

This is a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial on the effects of a 10-week oral estrogen replacement (combination of ethinyl estradiol 0.03 mg and dienogest 2 mg) in adult female AN patients. The primary target is the assessment of the impact of sex hormone replacement upon neuropsychological performance by means of a neuropsychological test battery consisting of a test for verbal intelligence, the Trail making test A and B, a Go/No-go paradigm with food cues and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Secondary targets include a) the examination of safety and tolerability (as mirrored by the number of adverse events), b) assessments of the impact upon eating disorder-specific psychopathology by means of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2), c) the influence upon anxiety using the State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory (STAI), d) assessments of plasma cortisol levels during a dexamethasone-suppression test and appetite-regulating plasma peptides (ghrelin, leptin, insulin, glucose) during an oral glucose tolerance test and, e) a possible impact upon the prescription of antidepressants.

DISCUSSION

This is the first study of its kind. There are no evidence-based psychopharmacological options for the treatment of AN. Thus, the results of this clinical trial may have a relevant impact on future treatment regimens. Novel approaches are necessary to improve rates of AN symptom remission and increase the rapidity of treatment response. Identifying the underlying biological (e.g. neuroendocrinological) factors that maintain AN or may predict patient treatment response represent critical future research directions. Continued efforts to incorporate novel pharmacological aspects into treatments will increase access to evidence-based care and help reduce the burden of AN.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

European Clinical Trials Database, EudraCT number 2015-004184-36, registered November 2015; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03172533 , retrospectively registered May 2017.

Is hypercortisolism in anorexia nervosa detectable using hair samples?

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe mental disorder accompanied by extensive metabolic and endocrine abnormalities. It has been associated with hypercortisolism using short-term measurement methods such as 24 h-urine, saliva, and blood. The aim of this study was to examine whether the proposed hypercortisolism in acutely underweight AN (acAN) is also reflected in a long-term measure: hair cortisol (HCC). To gain further insight, we compared hair cortisol to a well-established classical cortisol measure (24 h-urine; UCC) longitudinally in acAN. Hair samples were collected and analyzed using a LC-MS/MS-based method to provide a monthly cortisol value. We compared HCC in samples of 40 acAN with 40 pairwise age-matched healthy controls (HC) as well as 23 long-term recovered AN participants (recAN) with 23 pairwise age-matched HC (cross-sectional design). In the second part, UCC collected weekly during 14 weeks of weight-restoration therapy in 16 acAN was compared with the (time-corresponding) HCC using linear mixed models and bivariate correlations (longitudinal design). No group differences in HCC occurred comparing acAN and recAN to HC (cross-sectional study). The longitudinal analysis revealed a decrease of UCC but not HCC with weight gain. Furthermore, there was no overall significant association between UCC and HCC. Only in the last four weeks of weight-restoration therapy we found a significant moderate correlation between UCC and HCC. HCC did not reflect the expected hypercortisolism in acAN and did not decrease during short-term weight-restoration. Time-corresponding measurements of UCC and HCC were not consistently associated in our longitudinal analysis of acAN undergoing inpatient treatment. Given the drastic metabolic disturbances in acutely underweight AN our findings could be interpreted as disturbed cortisol incorporation or altered activity of 11-β-HSD-enzymes in the hair follicle.

Toward valid and reliable brain imaging results in eating disorders

Human brain imaging can help improve our understanding of mechanisms underlying brain function and how they drive behavior in health and disease. Such knowledge may eventually help us to devise better treatments for psychiatric disorders. However, the brain imaging literature in psychiatry and especially eating disorders has been inconsistent, and studies are often difficult to replicate. The extent or severity of extremes of eating and state of illness, which are often associated with differences in, for instance hormonal status, comorbidity, and medication use, commonly differ between studies and likely add to variation across study results. Those effects are in addition to the well-described problems arising from differences in task designs, data quality control procedures, image data preprocessing and analysis or statistical thresholds applied across studies. Which of those factors are most relevant to improve reproducibility is still a question for debate and further research. Here we propose guidelines for brain imaging research in eating disorders to acquire valid results that are more reliable and clinically useful.

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) and Immune Regulation: How Do Classical and Non-Classical HLA Alleles Modulate Immune Response to Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Infections?

The genetic factors associated with susceptibility or resistance to viral infections are likely to involve a sophisticated array of immune response. These genetic elements may modulate other biological factors that account for significant influence on the gene expression and/or protein function in the host. Among them, the role of the major histocompatibility complex in viral pathogenesis in particular human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), is very well documented. We, recently, added a novel insight into the field by identifying the molecular mechanism associated with the protective role of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27/B57 CD8⁺ T cells in the context of HIV-1 infection and why these alleles act as a double-edged sword protecting against viral infections but predisposing the host to autoimmune diseases. The focus of this review will be reexamining the role of classical and non-classical HLA alleles, including class Ia (HLA-A, -B, -C), class Ib (HLA-E, -F, -G, -H), and class II (HLA-DR, -DQ, -DM, and -DP) in immune regulation and viral pathogenesis (e.g., HIV and HCV). To our knowledge, this is the very first review of its kind to comprehensively analyze the role of these molecules in immune regulation associated with chronic viral infections.

Body composition and menstrual status in adults with a history of anorexia nervosa-at what fat percentage is the menstrual cycle restored?

OBJECTIVE

To study the association between body composition measures and menstrual status in a large sample of adult patients with a history of anorexia nervosa and to calculate the predicted probability of resumption of menstrual function. Furthermore, to establish whether fat percentage is superior to body mass index in predicting the resumption of menses.

METHOD

One hundred and thirteen adult women with a history of anorexia nervosa underwent a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan and completed questionnaires regarding medication prescription and menstrual function.

RESULTS

Fifty percent of patients were expected to resume their menstrual function at a body mass index of 19 kg m^-2 or a fat percentage of 23%. Twenty-five percent of patients were expected to resume their menstrual function at body mass index 14 kg m^-2 or fat percentage 11%. Fat percentage and body mass index were equally capable of predicting the resumption of menses.

DISCUSSION

Fat percentage and body mass index were positive predictors of the resumption of menses, however, body composition measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was not superior to body mass index in predicting menstrual recovery, which is of great clinical relevance as body mass index is easier and cheaper to obtain. Body composition measures only account for one of numerous factors involved in the resumption of menses. Regression models based on our data had a R² value of 0.14, indicating that only 14% of the variation in menstrual recovery could be explained by the variables included. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2017; 50:370-377).

The endocrine manifestations of anorexia nervosa: mechanisms and management

Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric disorder characterized by altered body image, persistent food restriction and low body weight, and is associated with global endocrine dysregulation in both adolescent girls and women. Dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis includes hypogonadotropic hypogonadism with relative oestrogen and androgen deficiency, growth hormone resistance, hypercortisolaemia, non-thyroidal illness syndrome, hyponatraemia and hypooxytocinaemia. Serum levels of leptin, an anorexigenic adipokine, are suppressed and levels of ghrelin, an orexigenic gut peptide, are elevated in women with anorexia nervosa; however, levels of peptide YY, an anorexigenic gut peptide, are paradoxically elevated. Although most, but not all, of these endocrine disturbances are adaptive to the low energy state of chronic starvation and reverse with treatment of the eating disorder, many contribute to impaired skeletal integrity, as well as neuropsychiatric comorbidities, in individuals with anorexia nervosa. Although 5-15% of patients with anorexia nervosa are men, only limited data exist regarding the endocrine impact of the disease in adolescent boys and men. Further research is needed to understand the endocrine determinants of bone loss and neuropsychiatric comorbidities in anorexia nervosa in both women and men, as well as to formulate optimal treatment strategies.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry body composition in patients with secondary osteoporosis

Due to the tight relationship between bone and soft tissues, there has been an increased interest in body composition assessment in patients with secondary osteoporosis as well as other pathological conditions. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is primarily devoted to the evaluation of bone mineral status, but continuous scientific advances of body composition software made DXA a rapid and easily available technique to assess body composition in terms of fat mass and lean mass. As a result, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) recently developed Official Positions regarding the use of this technique for body composition analysis. According to ISCD paper, indications are mainly limited to three conditions: HIV patients treated with antiretroviral agents associated with a risk of lipoatrophy; obese patients undergoing treatment for high weight loss; patients with sarcopenia or muscle weakness. Nevertheless, there are several other interesting clinical applications that were not included in the ISCD position paper, such as body composition assessment in patients undergoing organ transplantation, pulmonary disease as well as all those chronic condition that may lead to malnutrition. In conclusion, DXA body composition offers new diagnostic and research possibilities for a variety of diseases; due to its high reproducibility, DXA has also the potential to monitor body composition changes with pharmacological, nutritional or physic therapeutic interventions. ISCD addressed and recommended a list of clinical condition, but the crescent availability of DXA scans and software improvements may open the use of DXA to other indication in the next future. This article provides an overview of DXA body composition indications in the management of secondary osteoporosis and other clinical indications in adults.

Multidisciplinary intervention in obese adolescents: predictors of dropout

Objective

To identify biological and psychosocial factors associated with dropout in a multidisciplinary behavioral intervention in obese adolescents.

Methods

A total of 183 adolescents (15.4±1.6 years), pubertal (Tanner stage 3 or 4) and obese (34.7±4.0kg/m²), were enrolled in a 12-week behavioral intervention, which included clinical consultations (monthly), nutritional and psychological counseling (once a week), and supervised aerobic training (three times/week). The studied variables were weight, height, body mass index, body composition (skinfold), cardiorespiratory fitness (direct gas analysis), blood lipids and self-reported symptoms of eating disorders (bulimia, anorexia and binge eating), anxiety, depression, body image dissatisfaction and quality of life. Statistical analysis included binary logistic regression and independent t-tests.

Results

Of the adolescents, 73.7% adhered to the program. The greatest chance for dropout was observed among adolescents older than 15 years (odds ratio of 0.40; 95%CI: 0.15-0.98), with more anorexia symptoms (odds ratio of 0.35; 95%CI: 0.14-0.86) and hypercholesterolemia (odds ratio of 0.40; 95%CI: 0.16-0.91) at baseline.

Conclusion

Older adolescents, with more symptoms of eating disorders and total cholesterol have less chance to adhere to multidisciplinary treatments.

Anorexia Nervosa and Its Associated Endocrinopathy in Young People

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a condition of severe undernutrition associated with adaptive changes in many endocrine axes. These changes include hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, acquired growth hormone resistance with low insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, hypercortisolemia, altered secretion of adipokines and appetite-regulating hormones, and low bone mineral density (BMD). Bone health is impaired subsequent to a low body mass index, decreased lean mass, and the endocrine changes described above. In addition to low areal BMD, AN is characterized by a decrease in volumetric BMD, changes in bone geometry, and reductions in strength estimates, leading to an increased risk for fracture. Weight restoration is essential for restoration of normal endocrine function; however, hypercortisolemia, high peptide YY levels, and ghrelin dynamics may not completely normalize. In some patients, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism persists despite weight restoration. Weight gain and menstrual recovery are critical for improving bone health in AN; however, residual deficits may persist. Physiologic estrogen replacement using transdermal, but not oral, estrogen increases bone accrual in adolescents with AN, while bisphosphonates improve BMD in adults. Recombinant human IGF-1 and teriparatide have been used in a few studies as bone anabolic therapies. More data are necessary to determine the optimal therapeutic strategies for low BMD in AN.

Examination of central body fat deposition as a risk factor for loss-of-control eating

BACKGROUND

Elevated body mass index (BMI), higher waist-to-hip ratio, and body dissatisfaction have been investigated as risk factors for the development of bulimic symptoms. Central fat deposition may be particularly relevant to eating disorders. To our knowledge, the longitudinal relations between fat distribution, body dissatisfaction, and loss-of-control (LOC) eating development and maintenance have not been studied.

OBJECTIVE

We examined body fat distribution, independent of BMI and depressive symptoms, as a unique correlate and predictor of body dissatisfaction and LOC eating cross-sectionally and over a 2-y follow-up.

DESIGN

Body composition was measured by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 294 adult women at risk of weight gain at baseline, 6 mo, and 24 mo. We assessed LOC eating, body dissatisfaction, and depressive symptoms at baseline, 6 wk, 6 mo, 12 mo, and 24 mo by using the Eating Disorder Diagnostic Interview, the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scales Body Areas Satisfaction subscale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, respectively.

RESULTS

Independent of BMI, baseline total percentage body fat, percentage trunk fat, and percentage abdominal fat were related to greater body dissatisfaction. Total percentage body fat and trunk fat tended to be associated with greater body dissatisfaction at all subsequent time points. Women with a greater percentage trunk fat, specifically abdominal fat, were at highest risk of developing LOC eating. In the full sample, women with higher baseline percentage trunk and abdominal fat showed increases in LOC eating episode frequency over time, whereas LOC eating frequency remained stable among women with smaller percentages of fat in trunk and abdominal regions.

CONCLUSION

These findings lend further support to the premise that increased central body fat deposition is associated with body image dissatisfaction and suggest that it may represent a risk and maintenance factor for LOC eating. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00456131.

Cortisol Measures Across the Weight Spectrum

CONTEXT

There are conflicting reports of increased vs decreased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activation in obesity; the most consistent finding is an inverse relationship between body mass index (BMI) and morning cortisol. In anorexia nervosa (AN), a low-BMI state, cortisol measures are elevated.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate cortisol measures across the weight spectrum.

DESIGN AND SETTING

This was a cross-sectional study at a clinical research center.

PARTICIPANTS

This study included 60 women, 18-45 years of age: overweight/obese (OB; N = 21); AN (N = 18); and normal-weight controls (HC; N = 21).

MEASURES

HPA dynamics were assessed by urinary free cortisol, mean overnight serum cortisol obtained by pooled frequent sampling every 20 minutes from 2000-0800 h, 0800 h serum cortisol and cortisol-binding globulin, morning and late-night salivary cortisol, and dexamethasone-CRH testing. Body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS

Cortisol measures demonstrated a U-shaped relationship with BMI, nadiring in the overweight-class I obese range, and were similarly associated with visceral adipose tissue and total fat mass. Mean cortisol levels were higher in AN than OB. There were weak negative linear relationships between lean mass and some cortisol measures. Most cortisol measures were negatively associated with postero-anterior spine and total hip BMD.

CONCLUSIONS

Cortisol measures are lowest in overweight-class I obese women-lower than in lean women. With more significant obesity, cortisol levels increase, although not to as high as in AN. Therefore, extreme underweight and overweight states may activate the HPA axis, and hypercortisolemia may contribute to increased adiposity in the setting of caloric excess. Hypercortisolemia may also contribute to decreased BMD and muscle wasting in the setting of both caloric restriction and excess.

Body composition in young female eating-disorder patients with severe weight loss and controls: evidence from the four-component model and evaluation of DXA

Background/Objectives:

Whether fat-free mass (FFM) and its components are depleted in eating-disorder (ED) patients is uncertain. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is widely used to assess body composition in pediatric ED patients; however, its accuracy in underweight populations remains unknown. We aimed (1) to assess body composition of young females with ED involving substantial weight loss, relative to healthy controls using the four-component (4C) model, and (2) to explore the validity of DXA body composition assessment in ED patients.

Subjects/Methods:

Body composition of 13 females with ED and 117 controls, aged 10–18 years, was investigated using the 4C model. Accuracy of DXA for estimation of FFM and fat mass (FM) was tested using the approach of Bland and Altman.

Results:

Adjusting for age, height and pubertal stage, ED patients had significantly lower whole-body FM, FFM, protein mass (PM) and mineral mass (MM) compared with controls. Trunk and limb FM and limb lean soft tissue were significantly lower in ED patients. However, no significant difference in the hydration of FFM was detected. Compared with the 4C model, DXA overestimated FM by 5±36% and underestimated FFM by 1±9% in ED patients.

Conclusion:

Our study confirms that ED patients are depleted not only in FM but also in FFM, PM and MM. DXA has limitations for estimating body composition in individual young female ED patients.

Short-term food restriction followed by controlled refeeding promotes gorging behavior, enhances fat deposition, and diminishes insulin sensitivity in mice

Rodents are commonly used in food restriction refeeding studies to investigate weight regain. Mice that are rationed food every 24 h may consume all allocated food in a short time (gorge) and therefore undergo a brief well-fed period followed by an extended fasted period until the next day's food allotment. These exaggerated metabolic states are not typical in mice fed ad libitum (nibbling). The aim of the current study was to elucidate the intraday and cumulative metabolic consequences of gorging (induced by food restriction) in mice during controlled refeeding. Accordingly, following a temporary food restriction, mice were fed rations similar to intakes of controls fed ad libitum. Temporary food restriction initiated gorging behavior that persisted during refeeding; consequently, metabolism-related measurements were obtained in the gorging mice during their daily fed and fasted metabolic states. Robust differences in adipose tissue lipogenic and inflammatory gene expression were found in the gorging mice by metabolic state (fed versus fasted). Additionally, despite a reduced cumulative food intake compared to mice fed ad libitum, restriction-induced gorging mice had increased intraabdominal fat accumulation, diminished hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity, and a gene expression profile favoring lipid deposition. Our findings highlight the intraday differences in gene expression in gorging mice before and after feeding that confound comparisons with mice fed ad libitum, or nibbling. The present study also provides evidence that weight regain following food restriction is associated with cumulative metabolic and behavioral abnormalities in mice.

Deep body composition phenotyping during weight cycling: relevance to metabolic efficiency and metabolic risk

Weight cycling may lead to adverse effects on metabolic efficiency (i.e. adaptive thermogenesis or 'metabolic slowing') and metabolic risks (e.g. increased risk for insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome). In order to investigate these topics, the partitioning of fat and lean mass (i.e. the change in the proportion of both compartments) needs to be extended to the organ and tissue level because metabolic risk differs between adipose tissue depots and lean mass is metabolically heterogeneous being composed of organs and tissues differing in metabolic rate. Contrary to data obtained with severe weight loss and regain in lean people, weight cycling most likely has no adverse effects on fat distribution and metabolic risk in obese patients. There is even evidence for an increased ability of fat storage in subcutaneous fat depots (at the trunk in men and at the limbs in women) with weight cycling that may provide a certain protection from ectopic lipid deposition and thus explain the preservation of a favourable metabolic profile despite weight regain. On the other hand, the mass-specific metabolic rate of lean mass may increase with weight gain and decrease with weight loss mainly because of an increase and respective decrease in the proportion (and/or activity) of metabolically active organ mass. Obese people could therefore have a higher slope of the regression line between resting energy expenditure (REE) and fat-free mass that leads to an overestimation of metabolic efficiency when applied to normalize REE data after weight loss. Furthermore, in addressing the impact of macronutrient composition of the diet on partitioning of lean and fat mass, and the old controversy about whether a calorie is a calorie, we discuss recent evidence in support of a low glycaemic weight maintenance diet in countering weight regain and challenge this concept for weight loss by proposing the opposite.

Body composition, hemodynamic, and biochemical parameters of young female normal-weight oligo-amenorrheic and eumenorrheic athletes and nonathletes

AIMS

Low-weight hypogonadal conditions such as anorexia nervosa are associated with marked changes in body composition, hemodynamic and hematological parameters, and liver enzymes. The impact of athletic activity in normal-weight adolescents with/without amenorrhea on these parameters has not been assessed. Our aim was to examine these parameters in normal-weight athletes and nonathletes and determine any associations with body composition, oligo-amenorrhea, and exercise intensity.

METHODS

We assessed vital signs, complete blood counts, liver enzymes, and regional body composition in 43 oligo-amenorrheic athletes (OAA), 24 eumenorrheic athletes (EA), and 23 nonathletes aged 14-21 years.

RESULTS

The BMI was lower in OAA than in EA. Systolic and pulse pressure and temperature were lowest in OAA. Blood counts did not differ among groups. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was higher in both groups of athletes, while alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was higher in OAA than in EA and nonathletes. Total and regional fat were lower in OAA than in other groups, and these factors were associated positively with heart rate and inversely with liver enzymes.

CONCLUSIONS

Athletic activity is associated with higher AST levels, whereas menstrual dysfunction is associated with lower total and regional fat and higher ALT levels. Higher liver enzymes are associated with reductions in total and regional fat.

Anorexia nervosa and body fat distribution: a systematic review

The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of body fat distribution before and after partial and complete weight restoration in individuals with anorexia nervosa. Literature searches, study selection, method development and quality appraisal were performed independently by two authors, and data was synthesized using a narrative approach. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria and were consequently analyzed. The review had five main findings. First, during anorexia nervosa adolescent females lose more central body fat, while adult females more peripheral fat. Second, partial weight restoration leads to greater fat mass deposition in the trunk region than other body regions in adolescent females. Third, after short-term weight restoration, whether partial or complete, adults show a central adiposity phenotype with respect to healthy age-matched controls. Fourth, central fat distribution is associated with increased insulin resistance, but does not adversely affect eating disorder psychopathology or cause psychological distress in female adults. Fifth, the abnormal central fat distribution seems to normalize after long-term maintenance of complete weight restoration, indicating that preferential central distribution of body fat is a transitory phenomenon. However, a discrepancy in the findings has been noted, especially between adolescents and adults; besides age and gender, these appear to be related to differences in the methodology and time of body composition assessments. The PROSPERO Registry—Anorexia Nervosa and Body Fat Distribution: A Systematic Review (CRD42014008738).

Harmful effects of functional hypercortisolism: a working hypothesis

Functional hypercortisolism (FH) is caused by conditions able to chronically activate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and usually occurs in cases of major depression, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, simple obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, shift work, and end-stage renal disease. Most of these states belong to pseudo-Cushing disease, a condition which is difficult to distinguish from Cushing's syndrome and characterized not only by biochemical findings but also by objective ones that can be attributed to hypercortisolism (e.g., striae rubrae, central obesity, skin atrophy, easy bruising, etc.). This hormonal imbalance, although reversible and generally mild, could mediate some systemic complications, mainly but not only of a metabolic/cardiovascular nature, which are present in these states and are largely the same as those present in Cushing's syndrome. In this review we aim to discuss the evidence suggesting the emerging negative role for FH.

Endocrine consequences of anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is prevalent in adolescents and young adults, and endocrine changes include hypothalamic amenorrhoea; a nutritionally acquired growth-hormone resistance leading to low concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1); relative hypercortisolaemia; decreases in leptin, insulin, amylin, and incretins; and increases in ghrelin, peptide YY, and adiponectin. These changes in turn have harmful effects on bone and might affect neurocognition, anxiety, depression, and the psychopathology of anorexia nervosa. Low bone-mineral density (BMD) is particularly concerning, because it is associated with changes in bone microarchitecture, strength, and clinical fractures. Recovery leads to improvements in many--but not all--hormonal changes, and deficits in bone accrual can persist. Oestrogen-replacement therapy, primarily via the transdermal route, increases BMD in adolescents, although catch-up is incomplete. In adults, oral oestrogen--combined with recombinant human IGF-1 in one study and bisphosphonates in another--increased BMD, but not to the normal range. More studies are necessary to investigate the optimum therapeutic approach in patients with, or recovering from, anorexia nervosa.

Body composition, eating disorder psychopathology, and psychological distress in anorexia nervosa: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Although the effect of immediate weight restoration on body composition and body fat distribution has previously been studied in anorexia nervosa (AN), its influence in women with AN on eating disorder psychopathology and psychological distress has not previously been investigated to our knowledge.

OBJECTIVES

We assessed body composition and fat mass distribution before and after body weight restoration and investigated any relation between changes in body fat patterns of patients with AN treated in a specialist inpatient unit and their eating disorder and psychological distress features.

DESIGN

Body composition was measured by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 50 female, adult patients with AN before and after complete weight restoration [body mass index (BMI; in kg/m²) ≥18.5] and 100 healthy control subjects matched by age and posttreatment BMI of study group participants. Eating disorder psychopathology and psychological distress were assessed in the AN group before and after weight restoration by using the Eating Disorder Examination interview and the Global Severity Index of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-GSI), respectively.

RESULTS

After the achievement of complete weight restoration, patients with AN had higher trunk (P < 0.001), android (P < 0.001), and gynoid (P < 0.001) fat masses and lower arm (P < 0.001) and leg (P = 0.001) fat masses with respect to control subjects. No relation was shown between body-composition variables and eating disorder psychopathology in the AN group, and the only significant predictor of change in BSI-GSI was the baseline BSI-GSI score.

CONCLUSION

The normalization of body weight in patients with AN is associated with a preferential distribution of body fat in central regions, which does not, however, seem to influence either eating disorder psychopathology or psychological distress scores.

Endocrinology of anorexia nervosa in young people: recent insights

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Anorexia nervosa is among the most prevalent chronic medical conditions in young adults. It has acute as well as long-term consequences, some of which, such as low bone mineral density (BMD), are not completely reversible even after weight restoration. This review discusses our current understanding of endocrine consequences of anorexia nervosa.

RECENT FINDINGS

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by changes in multiple neuroendocrine axes including acquired hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, growth hormone resistance with low insulin-like growth factor-1 (likely mediated by fibroblast growth factor-1), relative hypercortisolemia, alterations in adipokines such as leptin, adiponectin and resistin, and gut peptides including ghrelin, PYY and amylin. These changes in turn contribute to low BMD. Studies in anorexia nervosa have demonstrated abnormalities in bone microarchitecture and strength, and an association between increased marrow fat and decreased BMD. One study in adolescents reported an improvement in BMD following physiologic estrogen replacement, and another in adults demonstrated improved BMD following risedronate administration. Brown adipose tissue is reduced in anorexia nervosa, consistent with an adaptive response to the energy deficit state.

SUMMARY

Anorexia nervosa is associated with widespread physiologic adaptations to the underlying state of undernutrition. Hormonal changes in anorexia nervosa affect BMD adversely. Further investigation is underway to optimize therapeutic strategies for low BMD.

Follow-up of bone mineral density and body composition in adolescents with restrictive anorexia nervosa: role of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Restrictive Anorexia nervosa (ANR) is an eating disorder (ED) characterized by a low bone mineral content (BMC) and by an alteration in body composition (reduction and abnormal distribution of fat mass-FM and lean mass-LM). The aim of our study was to address whether bone and body composition changes could be influenced by hormonal status and sport in female adolescents with restrictive anorexia nervosa-ANR.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Prospective study on 79 adolescents with ANR submitted to Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry-DXA at baseline-T0 and after 12 months-T12. Among the 46/79-58.2% patients that completed the study, we evaluated total and regional FM and LM%, as well as lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) and Z-score, linking them to clinical variables: menarche/amenorrhea/hormonal therapy and physical activity.

RESULTS

At T0: body mass index (BMI)=16.4±1.4 kg/m2 with low levels of FM% (21.7±5.7) low BMC in 12/46-26.0% (mean Z-score: -1.21±1.27, with higher values related to physical activity-P=0.001). At T12: a significant increase in BMI-P=0.001, with LM reduction and FM increase (more evident in the trunk-P<0.001); regarding bone, no significant changes were observed, though a tendency in terms of improvement associated with resumption of menses.

CONCLUSIONS

After 1 year, weight recovery was not associated with a reestablishment of bone values; by contrast, it was associated with an increase and a distortion in FM distribution, more evident in trunk region (potential and adjunctive risk factor for the relapse of the psychiatric condition). The complexity of these clinical findings suggested DXA, a low-dose and low-cost technique, in long-term monitoring of ANR patients.

Increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal drive is associated with decreased appetite and hypoactivation of food-motivation neurocircuitry in anorexia nervosa

OBJECTIVE

Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH)-mediated hypercortisolemia has been demonstrated in anorexia nervosa (AN), a psychiatric disorder characterized by food restriction despite low body weight. While CRH is anorexigenic, downstream cortisol stimulates hunger. Using a food-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm, we have demonstrated hypoactivation of brain regions involved in food motivation in women with AN, even after weight recovery. The relationship between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and appetite and the association with food-motivation neurocircuitry hypoactivation are unknown in AN. We investigated the relationship between HPA activity, appetite, and food-motivation neurocircuitry hypoactivation in AN.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study of 36 women (13 AN, ten weight-recovered AN (ANWR), and 13 healthy controls (HC)).

METHODS

Peripheral cortisol and ACTH levels were measured in a fasting state and 30, 60, and 120 min after a standardized mixed meal. The visual analog scale was used to assess homeostatic and hedonic appetite. fMRI was performed during visual processing of food and non-food stimuli to measure the brain activation pre- and post-meal.

RESULTS

In each group, serum cortisol levels decreased following the meal. Mean fasting, 120 min post-meal, and nadir cortisol levels were high in AN vs HC. Mean postprandial ACTH levels were high in ANWR compared with HC and AN subjects. Cortisol levels were associated with lower fasting homeostatic and hedonic appetite, independent of BMI and depressive symptoms. Cortisol levels were also associated with between-group variance in activation in the food-motivation brain regions (e.g. hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex, and insula).

CONCLUSIONS

HPA activation may contribute to the maintenance of AN by the suppression of appetitive drive.

Longitudinal changes in the physical activity of adolescents with anorexia nervosa and their influence on body composition and leptin serum levels after recovery

Objective

Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) are often observed to have high levels of physical activity, which do not necessarily diminish after a successful therapy. Previous studies have shown that body fat tissue recovery in these patients is associated with a disproportional restoration of the adipocyte hormone, leptin. Therefore, we wondered whether the individual variation in physical activity in AN patients prior to treatment may be related to body fat percentage and plasma leptin level outcome.

Method

Body fat percentage, leptin serum, and physical activity levels (accelerometer) were measured in adolescents with an (n=37, age 13 to 17.5 years) at initial assessment, at the end of study participation (median 12 months), and at one-year follow-up.

Results

Accelerometer data were used to split the patients in two groups: those with low (n=26) and those with high levels of physical activity (HLPA, n=11). These groups did not differ in terms of age, IQ, presence of menses, BMI and season of admission. The HLPA group was characterized by a longer total duration of illness. Physical activity levels during therapy decreased for the group with initially HLPA and increased for the group with low levels of physical activity (to comparable levels). Physical activity remained stable after one year. The increase in body fat percentage and leptin levels were dependent on the recovery status; however, recovered patients with initially HLPA had significantly higher fat mass during the follow-up.

Discussion

HLPA, an important modulator of AN progression in adolescents, can be successfully diminished by therapeutic intervention. Among recovered patients, those with initially HLPA had higher fat mass levels than those with low levels of physical activity. This finding suggests that HLPA are an important modulator of the body composition recovery mechanism.

Endocrine effects of anorexia nervosa

A key feature of anorexia nervosa, a disease primarily psychiatric in origin, is chronic starvation, which results in profound neuroendocrine dysregulation, including hypogonadism, relative growth hormone resistance, and hypercortisolemia. A recent area of investigation is appetite hormone dysregulation. Whether such dysregulation is compensatory or plays a role in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa is incompletely understood. The primary therapy for anorexia remains psychiatric, and endocrine abnormalities tend to improve with weight restoration, although residual endocrine dysfunction can occur. In addition, therapies directed at specific complications have been a particular focus of research.

Effect of weight loss and regain on adipose tissue distribution, composition of lean mass and resting energy expenditure in young overweight and obese adults

BACKGROUND

Although weight cycling is frequent in obese patients, the adverse consequences on body composition and an increased propensity to weight gain remain controversial.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the effect of intentional weight loss and spontaneous regain on fat distribution, the composition of lean mass and resting energy expenditure (REE).

DESIGN

Weight regainers (≥ 30% of loss, n=27) and weight-stable subjects (within <± 20% of weight change, n=20) were selected from 103 overweight and obese subjects (body mass index 28-43 kg m(-2), 24-45 years) who passed a 13-week low-calorie diet intervention. REE and body composition (by densitometry and whole-body magnetic resonance imaging) were examined at baseline, after weight loss and at 6 months of follow-up.

RESULTS

Mean weight loss was -12.3 ± 3.3 kg in weight-stable subjects and -9.0 ± 4.3 kg in weight regainers (P<0.01). Weight regain was incomplete, accounting for 83 and 42% of weight loss in women and men. Regain in total fat and different adipose tissue depots was in proportion to weight regain except for a higher regain in adipose tissue of the extremities in women and a lower regain in extremity and visceral adipose tissue in men. In both genders, regain in skeletal muscle of the trunk lagged behind skeletal muscle regain at the extremities. In contrast to weight-stable subjects, weight regainers showed a reduced REE adjusted for changes in organ and tissue masses after weight loss (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Weight regain did not adversely affect body fat distribution. Weight loss-associated adaptations in REE may impair weight loss and contribute to weight regain.

Two diagnoses become one? Rare case report of anorexia nervosa and Cushing's syndrome

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis impairment in anorexia nervosa is marked by hypercortisolemia, and psychiatric disorders occur in the majority of patients with Cushing's syndrome. Here we report a patient diagnosed with anorexia nervosa who also developed Cushing's syndrome. A 26-year-old female had been treated for anorexia nervosa since she was 17 years old, and also developed depression and paranoid schizophrenia. She was admitted to the Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Internal Medicine with a preliminary diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome. Computed tomography revealed a 27 mm left adrenal tumor, and she underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy. She was admitted to hospital 6 months after this procedure, at which time she did not report any eating or mood disorder. This is a rare case report of a patient with anorexia nervosa in whom Cushing's syndrome was subsequently diagnosed. Diagnostic difficulties were caused by the signs and symptoms presenting in the course of both disorders, ie, hypercortisolemia, osteoporosis, secondary amenorrhea, striae, hypokalemia, muscle weakness, and depression.

Marrow fat and preadipocyte factor-1 levels decrease with recovery in women with anorexia nervosa

Women with anorexia nervosa (AN) have elevated marrow fat mass despite low visceral and subcutaneous fat depots, which is inversely associated with bone mineral density (BMD). Whether marrow fat mass remains persistently elevated or decreases with recovery from AN is currently unknown. In this study, we investigated changes in marrow fat in women who have recovered from AN (AN-R). We also studied the relationship between preadipocyte factor (Pref)-1-a member of the EGF-like family of proteins and regulator of adipocyte and osteoblast differentiation-and fat depots and BMD in AN-R compared with women with AN and healthy controls (HC). We studied 29 women: 14 with active or recovered AN (30.7 + 2.2 years [mean ± SEM]) and 15 normal-weight controls (27.8 ± 1.2 years). We measured marrow adipose tissue (MAT) of the L4 vertebra and femur by (1) H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy; BMD of the spine, hip, and total body by DXA; and serum Pref-1 and leptin levels. We found that MAT of the L4 vertebra was significantly lower in AN-R compared with AN (p = 0.03) and was comparable to levels in HC. Pref-1 levels were also significantly lower in AN-R compared with AN (p = 0.02) and comparable to levels in healthy controls. Although Pref-1 was positively associated with MAT of the L4 vertebra in AN (R = 0.94; p = 0.002), we found that it was inversely associated with MAT of the L4 vertebra in HC (R = -0.71; p = 0.004). Therefore, we have shown that MAT and Pref-1 levels decrease with recovery from AN. Our data suggest that Pref-1 may have differential effects in states of nutritional deprivation compared with nutritional sufficiency.

Endocrine dysregulation in anorexia nervosa update

CONTEXT

Anorexia nervosa is a primary psychiatric disorder with serious endocrine consequences, including dysregulation of the gonadal, adrenal, and GH axes, and severe bone loss. This Update reviews recent advances in the understanding of the endocrine dysregulation observed in this state of chronic starvation, as well as the mechanisms underlying the disease itself.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Findings of this update are based on a PubMed search and the author's knowledge of this field.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Recent studies have provided insights into the mechanisms underlying endocrine dysregulation in states of chronic starvation as well as the etiology of anorexia nervosa itself. This includes a more complex understanding of the pathophysiologic bases of hypogonadism, hypercortisolemia, GH resistance, appetite regulation, and bone loss. Nevertheless, the etiology of the disease remains largely unknown, and effective therapies for the endocrine complications and for the disease itself are lacking.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite significant progress in the field, further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the development of anorexia nervosa and its endocrine complications. Such investigations promise to yield important advances in the therapeutic approach to this disease as well as to the understanding of the regulation of endocrine function, skeletal biology, and appetite regulation.

In anorexia nervosa, even a small increase in abdominal fat is responsible for the appearance of insulin resistance

CONTEXT

The aim of treatment in patients affected by anorexia nervosa (AN) is weight recovery. However, during weight gain, anorectic patients' body composition is changed, with an increase in abdominal fat, particularly in the visceral compartment.

OBJECTIVE

We hypothesized that changes in body composition, particularly in abdominal fat, are responsible for the variability in insulin sensitivity (IS) in different stages of AN.

DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS

We compared 20 anorectic patients in the acute stage, 19 in the weight-recovery stage and 21 controls. All subjects underwent an oral glucose tolerance test, hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure body composition.

RESULTS

The percentage of trunk fat was higher in weight recovery than in the acute phase (47·7 ± 8·4%vs 34·6 ± 7·6%; P ≤ 0·01) and in the control group (33·4 ± 7·6; P < 0·01 vs weight recovery). Although the recovery group gained weight, their body mass index (BMI) was not statistically different from that of the acute group (14·4 ± 1·1 vs 13·6 ± 1·8 kg/m(2) ). Insulin sensitivity was lower in the weight-recovery group than the acute group (4·7 ± 1·5 vs 7·8 ± 1·6 mg/kg/min; P < 0·01) and controls (7·7 ± 1·4 mg/kg/min; P < 0·01). A linear negative correlation was found between IS and the percentage of abdominal fat in the weight-recovery and acute groups (r = -0·51; P = 0·04 and r = -0·53; P = 0·04 respectively), while IS did not correlate with BMI.

CONCLUSION

Although weight-recovery represents the main aim of treatment in AN, refeeding is associated with an increase in abdominal fat which might be responsible of the onset of insulin resistance. As BMI and weight-recovery were associated with impaired IS, they cannot be considered the only aim of treatment of AN.

Regional anthropometry changes in antiretroviral-naïve persons initiating a Zidovudine-containing regimen in Mbarara, Uganda

Lipodystrophy is commonly reported in Africa after antiretroviral therapy (ART) is initiated, but few studies have objectively measured changes in body composition. Body composition was determined in 76 HIV-infected participants from Mbarara, Uganda after starting a thymidine-analog regimen, and annual change was determined using repeated measures analysis. We measured skinfolds (tricep, thigh, subscapular, and abdomen), circumferences (arm, hip, thigh, waist), and total lean and fat mass (using bioelectric impedance analysis). A cross-sectional sample of 49 HIV-uninfected participants was studied for comparison. At baseline, most body composition measures were lower in HIV-infected than uninfected participants, but waist circumference was similar. After 12 months on ART, there was little difference in body composition measures between HIV-infected and uninfected participants; median waist circumference appeared higher in HIV-infected participants (79 vs. 75 cm; p = 0.090). Among HIV-infected participants, increases were observed in total lean and fat mass, circumference, and skinfold measures; only the increase in tricep skinfold did not reach statistical significance (+1.05 mm; 95% confidence interval: -0.24, 2.34; p = 0.11). Regional anthropometry in peripheral and central body sites increased over 12 months after ART initiation in HIV-infected persons from southwestern Uganda, suggesting a restoration to health. Gains in the tricep skinfold, a reliable marker of subcutaneous fat, appeared blunted, which could indicate an inhibitory effect of zidovudine on peripheral subcutaneous fat recovery.

Appetite-regulating hormones cortisol and peptide YY are associated with disordered eating psychopathology, independent of body mass index

OBJECTIVE

Disordered eating occurs in women at both weight extremes of anorexia nervosa (AN) and obesity. Cortisol, peptide YY (PYY), leptin, and ghrelin are hormones involved in appetite and feeding behavior that vary with weight and body fat. Abnormal levels of these hormones have been reported in women with AN, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA), and obesity. The relationship between appetite-regulating hormones and disordered eating psychopathology is unknown. We therefore studied the relationship between orexigenic and anorexigenic hormones and disordered eating psychopathology in women across a range of weights.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study of 65 women, 18-45 years: 16 with AN, 12 normal-weight with HA, 17 overweight or obese, and 20 normal-weight in good health.

METHODS

Two validated measures of disordered eating psychopathology, the Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2), were administered. Fasting PYY, leptin, and ghrelin levels were measured; cortisol levels were pooled from serum samples obtained every 20 min from 2000 to 0800 h.

RESULTS

Cortisol and PYY levels were positively associated with disordered eating psychopathology including restraint, eating concerns, and body image disturbance, independent of body mass index (BMI). Although leptin levels were negatively associated with disordered eating psychopathology, these relationships were not significant after controlling for BMI. Ghrelin levels were generally not associated with EDE-Q or EDI-2 scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of cortisol and PYY are associated with disordered eating psychopathology independent of BMI in women across the weight spectrum, suggesting that abnormalities in appetite regulation may be associated with specific eating disorder pathologies.

The neuroendocrine basis of anorexia nervosa and its impact on bone metabolism

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a condition of profound undernutrition associated with alterations in various neuroendocrine axes, many of which contribute to a marked impairment in bone accrual and low bone mineral density. This review focuses on changes in the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis, the growth hormone insulin-like growth factor-1 axis, and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in AN, as well as alterations in various appetite-regulating hormones. In addition, the review discusses low bone mineral density and altered bone microarchitecture in AN, the pathophysiology underlying impaired bone metabolism, and possible therapeutic strategies to optimize bone health.

DXA surrogates for visceral fat are inversely associated with bone density measures in adolescent athletes with menstrual dysfunction

OBJECTIVE

Lean mass is associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in athletes, attributable to the anabolic pull of muscle on bone. Fat mass is also important, and subcutaneous fat positively and visceral fat negatively correlates with BMD in obese adolescents. The contribution of regional body composition to low BMD in amenorrheic athletes (AA) has not been elucidated. We hypothesized that in adolescent athletes (runners), BMD is associated positively with total fat (surrogate for subcutaneous fat) and lean mass, and inversely with percent trunk fat and trunk-to-extremity fat ratio (surrogates for visceral fat).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

We examined BMD and body composition using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 21 AA and 19 eumenorrheic athletes (EA) (12-18 years) (runners). We report total hip and height-adjusted BMD [lumbar bone mineral apparent density (LBMAD) and whole body bone mineral content/height (WBBMC/Ht)].

RESULTS

AA had lower BMD than EA. Lean mass was less strongly associated with hip BMD in AA than EA; fat mass was positively associated with LBMAD in EA. Percent trunk fat and trunk-to-extremity fat ratio were inversely associated with lumbar and WB measures in AA. In a regression model, lean and fat mass were positively, and percent trunk fat and trunk-to-extremity fat ratio negatively associated with LBMAD and WBBMC/Ht for all athletes, even after controlling for serum estradiol.

CONCLUSIONS

DXA surrogates for visceral fat are inversely associated with bone density in athletes.

Neuroendocrine consequences of anorexia nervosa in adolescents

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a condition of severe undernutrition characterized by alterations in multiple neuroendocrine axes and peptides that signal or regulate energy intake. These alterations include a state of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, a nutritionally acquired resistance to growth hormone (GH) with low IGF-1 levels, relative hypercortisolemia, low total T3 despite normal TSH, low levels of leptin and insulin, and elevated levels of ghrelin, peptide YY (PYY) and possibly adiponectin. Although many of these changes are adaptive to low weight, they can impact bone metabolism, body composition, reproductive function and statural growth. Low bone mass is characteristic of AN in both adolescent boys and girls. In girls, sites of trabecular bone are more likely to be affected than sites of cortical bone, whereas in boys with AN, sites of cortical bone are more commonly affected. Bone microarchitecture is also affected in adolescent girls with AN, with a decrease in trabecular thickness and bone trabecular volume, and an increase in trabecular separation. Important predictors of low bone density include nutritional factors, body composition, hypogonadism, low IGF-1, elevated cortisol and PYY levels, with possible contributions of low insulin. Weight gain is associated with a stabilization of bone density, although residual deficits persist in the short term, and in some cases, long term.

Adipose tissue distribution after weight restoration and weight maintenance in women with anorexia nervosa

BACKGROUND

Body image distortions are a core feature of anorexia nervosa (AN). We, and others, previously reported abnormalities in adipose tissue distribution after acute weight restoration in adult women with AN compared with body mass index-matched healthy control women. Whether these abnormalities persist over time remains unknown.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to 1) replicate previous findings that showed preferential central accumulation of adipose tissue in recently weight-restored AN women compared with control subjects, 2) describe the change within patients with longer-term (1-y) weight maintenance, and 3) compare adipose tissue distribution after 1-y maintenance with that of control subjects.

DESIGN

Body composition and adipose tissue distribution were assessed by whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in women with AN shortly after weight normalization (n = 30) and again 1 y after hospital discharge (n = 16) and in 8 female control subjects at 2 time points.

RESULTS

With acute weight restoration, AN patients had significantly greater visceral and intermuscular adipose tissue compared with control women [visceral: 0.75 +/- 0.26 compared with 0.51 +/- 0.26 kg in AN patients and controls, respectively (P = 0.02); intermuscular: 0.46 +/- 0.17 compared with 0.29 +/- 0.13 kg in AN patients and controls, respectively (P = 0.01)]. With maintenance of normal weight for approximately 1 y, visceral adipose tissue distribution in AN patients was not different from that in healthy control subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

In adult women with AN, normalization of weight in the short term is associated with a distribution of adipose tissue that is consistent with a central adiposity phenotype. This abnormal distribution appears to normalize within a 1-y period of weight maintenance. This research was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT 00271921 and NCT 00368667.

Energy metabolism and body composition in long-term recovery from anorexia nervosa

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine if energy metabolism and body composition differ between women recovered from anorexia nervosa for 2 or more years (RAN) and control (C) women.

METHOD

Using a cross-sectional design, 16 RAN and 18 C women were studied. Respiratory quotient (RQ) and resting energy expenditure (REE) were measured using indirect calorimetry and body composition using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS

The REE between RAN and C women was not significantly different, even when adjusted for body composition. However, RAN women had a higher rate of fat oxidation (p = .015), controlling for diet and body composition. There were no significant differences between the groups for body composition, percent body fat, or percent truncal fat mass.

DISCUSSION

Although RAN women have a higher rate of fat oxidation, there were no significant differences in REE or body composition when compared with C women.