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Horm Metab Res 1988; 20(12): 761-764
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1010942
Clinical

© Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart · New York

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and Anorexia Nervosa

S. Matsubayashi, H. Tamai, N. Kobayashi, Y. Takaichi, S. Fukata, Y. Hirota, K. Kuma, T. Nakagawa, L. F. Kumagai
  • Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka; Kuma Hospital (K.K.), Kobe, Japan, and Department of Internal Medicine, University of California School of Medicine (L.F.K.), Davis, California, U.S.A.
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Publication History

1987

1987

Publication Date:
14 March 2008 (online)

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Summary

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity was measured in 10 patients with anorexia nervosa, 6 with hyperthyroid Graves' disease, and 7 with primary hypothyroidism. Patients with anorexia nervosa had a low serum ACE activity (9.8±2.2 IU/l), as compared to findings in normal subjects (13.4±3.5 IU/l) (P < 0.05). Patients with hyperthyroid Graves' disease had high serum ACE activity (23.7±5.8 IU/l), as compared to levels in normal subjects (P < 0.01), and patients with primary hypothyroidism tended to have low serum ACE activity (10.1±1.8 IU/l), compared to the normal subjects (P < 0.1). Following weight gain (before; 71.3±10.2% of ideal body weight, after; 88.7±5.6% of ideal body weight), serum ACE activity in patients with anorexia nervosa reverted to within the normal range (13.8±3.5 IU/l), and serum T3 concentration was restored to the normal range (before; 0.7±0.2 ng/ml, after; 1.1±0.3 ng/ml). In these patients, ACE activity correlated with the per cent of ideal body weight (P < 0.05).

These data suggest that, in underweight subjects with anorexia nervosa, decreased serum ACE activities may relate to emaciation.

Key-Words

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme - Anorexia Nervosa