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

doi:10.1055/s-2007-1010942

Hormone and Metabolic Research, Table of Contents

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

Clinical

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.

Abstract

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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

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