POSSIBLE MODULATING EFFECTS OF GROWTH-HORMONE AND TSH ON IMMUNE-RESPONSES IN THE MALNUTRITION OF ANOREXIA-NERVOSA

Hormonal alterations were found in 22 patients with anorexia nervosa ( AN) who had a mean weight loss of 30%: mean serum triiodothyronine (T3 ), thyroxine (T4), estradiol and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentratio ns were decreased while serum cortisol and growth hormone were increas ed. Minor changes were seen in mean serum prolactin, thyroid stimulati ng hormone (TSH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations . Correlations between relative weight loss and both serum T3, estradi ol and prolactin were found (P < 0.01, 0.02 and 0.04 respectively) and also between triceps skin fold (TSF) and serum TSH (P < 0.04). Hormon al changes are thus related to the severity of the disease. Hormonal c oncentrations did not correlate with lymphocyte sub-populations, but s ignificant correlations were established between lymphocyte transforma tion responses to Concanavalin A and both serum growth hormone (P < 0. 02) and TSH (P < 0.01). In conclusion, hormonal alterations per se may be of clinical importance in the malnutrition of AN because of possib le modulating effects on immune responses.