[Thyroid function and lipid metabolism in patients with anorexia nervosa].

OBJECTIVE

There are clinical similarities between anorexia nervosa (AN) and hypothyroidism. Previous reports have shown decrease FT3, increase rT3, sporadically decrease FT4 and normal levels of serum TSH.

METHODS

To assess thyroid function in 36 patients with AN (4 males, 32 females the subjects ages ranged from 12 to 18 yrs) serum levels of FT4, FT3, rT3, TSH were measured. Out of this group, 24 patients have been singled out to examine the lipid metabolism by measuring the level of cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides.

RESULTS

67% (24) of the examined group resulted in low level of FT4 (0.75-0.97 ng/dcl), but decrease FT3 (= 0.67 pg/ml) was only found with 1 patient. The level of rT3 (measured in 94% (34) patients) were normal. The level of TSH were low (0.87-0.97 muIU/ml) in 25% (9) of patients, but 6 of them also manifested decrease FT4 (0.87-0.97 ng/dcl). At the same time, we found higher level of cholesterol in 63% of patients, decrease HDL in 71%. It is interesting to notice that in 80% of cases with a lipid metabolism disorder we found decrease FT4.

CONCLUSIONS

Thyroid dysfunctions may be one of the essential reasons for lipid metabolism disorder in AN.