Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and Anorexia Nervosa

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