Correlations between carbohydrate metabolism and corticotrop axis parameters in anorexia nervosa.

The hypercortisolism is one of the hormonal features of anorexia nervosa (AN) in the undernutrition phase. This abnormality seems to be related to the nutritional factors because the weight restoration leads to the normalization of cortisol. We have investigated glycemia, plasma insulin and C-peptide like markers of carbohydrate metabolism, and, also, adrenocorticotrope hormone (ACTH), beta-endorphins and cortisol in basal and dynamics conditions in 142 patients with AN.