Abstract
Abstract
In order to assess insulin sensitivity (IS) and β‐cell function (B) in anorexia nervosa (AN) we measured fasting plasma glucose (FPG), immunoreactive insulin and C‐peptide levels in 33 consecutive subjects with AN for modelling with Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA). Mean (± 1 SD) fasting glucose and insulin levels were 71 ± 10 mg dl−1 and 7.3 ± 2.8 μU ml−1respectively. Median IS and B (% normal) were 143 (percentile 25–75: 95–194) and 127 (102–157). When subjects were stratified according to median IS, those with high insulin sensitivity were of similar age, AN duration, weight, BMI, and body composition to those with normal IS. However, FPG was significantly lower in the higher insulin sensitivity subgroup (67 ± 11 versus 75 ± 7 mg dl−1; p < 0.03), and two patients presented with symptomatic hypoglycaemia. We conclude that patients with AN exhibit a trend toward increased IS, which is not associated with any specific clinical characteristic. In the whole cohort, B was either normal or moderately increased. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.