Serum visfatin concentration in acutely ill and weight-recovered patients with anorexia nervosa. (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Seidel, Maria; King, Joseph A.; Ritschel, Franziska; Döpmann, Johanna; Bühren, Katharina; Seitz, Jochen; Roessner, Veit; Westphal, Sabine; Egberts, Karin; Burghardt, Roland; Wewetzer, Christoph; Fleischhaker, Christian; Hebebrand, Johannes; Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate; Ehrlich, Stefan
• Is Part Of: Psychoneuroendocrinology. Volume 53(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 127
• Page End: 135
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Visfatin -- Anorexia nervosa -- Weight recovered anorexia nervosa -- Adipokines -- Leptin; Psychoneuroendocrinology -- Periodicals; Endocrinology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Neuropsychoendocrinologie -- Périodiques; 616.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.12.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4530

Abstract

Highlights: We report for the first time visfatin levels in recovered anorexia nervosa patients. Visfatin serum levels increase during weight rehabilitation. Normal visfatin levels in acute status might be sustained via compensatory mechanisms. We used an ELISA with greater specificity compared to previous studies. Summary: Visfatin is a recently described protein that is thought to regulate the process of adipocyte differentiation. Findings suggest that visfatin may be actively involved in the control of weight regulatory networks. However, to what extent and which role it plays in eating disorders is still poorly understood, as mixed results have been reported. The aim of the current study was to investigate serum visfatin concentrations on a cross sectional sample between acute anorexia nervosa patients ( n = 44), weight recovered patients ( n = 13) and healthy controls ( n = 46) and a longitudinal sample of acute patients ( n = 57) during weight recovery at three different time-points. Results did not show significant differences in visfatin between the three groups; however, acute patients showed a higher visfatin/BMI-SDS ratio than controls and recovered patients. Longitudinal results revealed an increase of visfatin levels during therapy. Our results suggest that high ratios of visfatin/BMI-SDS could be a state marker in acute anorexia nervosa, displaying a compensatory mechanism of the individual to maintain normal visfatin levels under malnourished conditions.