Abstract
ObjectiveAntidiuretic hormone (ADH) is involved in the response to stress and in depression and anxiety. However, studies on ADH in anorexia nervosa (AN) show conflicting results. A major reason for this may be methodological challenges due to short half‐life of ADH in circulation and rapid degradation in vitro. To overcome these obstacles, copeptin, the C‐terminal fragment stemming from the ADH precursor, has been increasingly used as a stable clinical measure for ADH. Furthermore, copeptin has been recognized as a biomarker of insulin resistance in obesity.MethodsWe measured fasting copeptin in plasma from 25 normohydrated, stable women with AN (BMI 13.0 ± 2.0) and 25 age‐matched women.ResultsNo difference in copeptin levels was found (6.8 ± 1.8 vs. 5.5 ± 0.5 pmol/L). Confirmatory, copeptin concentrations were correlated to insulin resistance assessed by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance.DiscussionWe report for the first time that copeptin level as a marker of ADH activity is not altered in fluid‐ and electrolyte‐stabilized patients with severe AN patients, indicating that ADH may not be crucial in the pathophysiological involvement of psychologic stress in AN.
Highlights
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH), referred to as arginine vasopressin, is released from the posterior pituitary to the circulation where it has a number of vital effects on osmoregulation and arteriole constriction, maintaining normal blood pressure and fluid–salt balance
We report for the first time that copeptin level as a marker of ADH activity is not altered in fluid- and electrolyte-stabilized patients with severe anorexia nervosa (AN) patients, indicating that ADH may not be crucial in the pathophysiological involvement of psychologic stress in AN
Our data show that copeptin, a stable marker of ADH in plasma, is remarkably unchanged in normohydrated stable AN patients with extremely low BMI
Summary
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