Elevated ghrelin level in women of normal weight with amenorrhea is related to disordered eating
Received 27 October 2006; received in revised form 31 May 2007; accepted 4 June 2007. published online 13 November 2007.
Objective
To determine whether women of normal weight with hypothalamic amenorrhea have elevated ghrelin levels when compared with controls matched for metabolic parameters and whether this elevation is related to disordered eating patterns.
Design
Controlled clinical study.
Setting
Healthy volunteers in an academic research environment.
Patient(s)
Twelve subjects of normal weight with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, 22 exercising controls, and 5 sedentary controls.
Intervention(s)
None.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Ghrelin level and eating behavior.
Result(s)
The group with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea did not differ from the exercising control group or the sedentary control group with respect to body weight, body fat, and leptin levels. However, ghrelin level showed a significant positive correlation with Eating Attitudes Test (EAT)-40 scores (r = 0.475) at an EAT score ≥10 in all three groups. Eighty-three percent of patients with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea had EAT-40 levels >10.
Conclusion(s)
Elevated EAT scores associated with high ghrelin level may represent dietary behaviors that perpetuate reproductive dysfunction. Thus ghrelin may act as a restraining metabolic signal preventing a return to cyclicity in women with disordered eating and of normal weight and body fat.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medicine, St. Luke's–Roosevelt Hospital Center and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
Reprint requests: Lisa F. Schneider, M.D., Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, 622 W. 168th St., PH 16-128, New York, NY 10032 (FAX: 212-305-9945).
Supported by National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grants No. R01HD-2217101-07 and R01 HD36444-01-5.
ABSTRACT