Research Article Details
Article ID: | A09463 |
PMID: | 31734856 |
Source: | Intern Emerg Med |
Title: | Liver alterations in anorexia nervosa are not caused by insulin resistance. |
Abstract: | BACKGROUND: Liver dysfunction has been widely reported in connection with anorexia nervosa (AN) but the pathogenesis of these alterations has never been fully understood despite reported theories about the presence of insulin resistance (IR) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study is to investigate if hypertransaminasemia in AN is linked to IR and NAFLD. METHODS: Anthropometric data and laboratory exams of 34 patients and 34 controls were analyzed, including alanine-aminotransferase, aspartate-aminotransferase and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index. All subjects also underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography (US), and transient elastography (TE). RESULTS: Evidence of increased alanine aminotransferase in AN patients was confirmed in our sample together with a lower HOMA-IR index compared to controls. Positive results in US appeared in 16 patients vs none in controls (p = 0.0007); patients with liver parenchyma abnormalities in US were not different than normal-US patients in any of the studied variables. Only one patient showed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in MRI while abnormal TE was found in four patients and never in controls. CONCLUSIONS: Liver damage suggested by increased serum liver enzymes cannot be due to liver steatosis but potentially to a different liver disease (not identified by MRI) or to an early liver fibrosis not associated with an insulin-resistant status. |
DOI: | 10.1007/s11739-019-02227-9 |

Strategy ID | Therapy Strategy | Synonyms | Therapy Targets | Therapy Drugs | |
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S01 | Improve insulin resistance | insulin sensitizer; insulin resistance; glucose tolerance | Biguanide: increases 5-AMP activated protein kinase signaling; SGLT-2 inhibitor; Thiazalidinedione: selective PPAR-γ agonists; GLP-1 agonist | Metformin; Empagliflozin; Canagliflozin; Rosiglitazone; Pioglitazone; Liraglutide | Details |
S03 | Anti-fibrosis | fibrosis | Angiotensin Receptor Blocker (ARB); CCR2/CCR5 antagonist; Thyroid receptor β agonist; PEGylated human FGF21 analogue; Monoclonal antibody to lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2); Galectin-3 inhibitor; FGF19 variant | Losartan; Cenicriviroc; VK-2809; MGL-3196; Pegbelfermin; Simtuzumab; GR-MD-02; NGM282 | Details |
Target ID | Target Name | GENE | Action | Class | UniProtKB ID | Entry Name |
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Diseases ID | DO ID | Disease Name | Definition | Class | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
I05 | 9352 | Type 2 diabetes mellitus | A diabetes that is characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. A diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes_mellitus_type_2 | disease of metabolism/inherited metabolic disorder/ carbohydrate metabolic disorder/glucose metabolism disease/diabetes/ diabetes mellitus | Details |
Drug ID | Drug Name | Type | DrugBank ID | Targets | Category | Latest Progress | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D545 | Pig placenta extract | Biological extract | -- | -- | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D199 | L-alanine | Chemical drug | DB00160 | KYNU | -- | Failed in clinical trials | Details |
D328 | Serine | Chemical drug | DB00133 | SRR | Improve insulin resistance | Under clinical trials | Details |
D182 | Insulin | Biological drug | DB00030 | INSR agonist; CPE modulator&product of | -- | Under clinical trials | Details |
D316 | S-adenosyl-L-methionine | Chemical drug | DB00118 | GNMT cofactor | Antiviral | Under clinical trials | Details |