Increased Subcutaneous
Abdominal Tissue Norepinephrine Levels in Patients With Anorexia
Nervosa: an In Vivo Microdialysis Study
J. NEDVÍDKOVÁ, I. DOSTÁLOVÁ, V. BARTÁK, H. PAPEŽOVÁ1,
K. PACÁK2
Institute of Endocrinology, Prague, 1Department of
Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University
Prague, Czech Republic and 2Pediatric and
Reproductive Endocrinology Branch, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, USA
Received July 20, 2003
Accepted September 22, 2003
Summary
The present study was designed to measure interstitial levels of
norepinephrine-regulating lipolysis (NE) in subcutaneous
abdominal adipose tissue of anorexia nervosa (AN) patients and
control subjects under basal conditions and after the local
administration of an inhibitor of NE re-uptake, maprotiline. In
vivo microdialysis technique was used to assess subcutaneous
adipose NE levels in five women with AN (body mass index
14.62±0.47 kg/m2) and six age-matched controls
(22.1±0.52 kg/m2). NE was assayed using high
performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection
after batch alumina extraction. Measured basal adipose tissue NE
levels reflecting its interstitial levels were significantly
increased in AN patients compared to the controls (106.0±20.9
vs. 40.0±5.0 pg/ml). The local maprotiline administration
resulted in a significant increase in adipose tissue NE levels
(AN patients: 440.0±28.6 vs. 202.0±33.0 pg/ml in the controls)
in both groups. Markedly increased subcutaneous abdominal
adipose tissue NE levels in AN patients compared to control
subjects reflect increased sympathetic nervous system activity
but not altered membrane noradrenergic transporter system in
anorexia nervosa patients.
Key words
Anorexia nervosa • Catecholamines • Adipose tissue •
Microdialysis • Maprotiline
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