IGF-1 is associated with estimated bone strength in anorexia nervosa.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2020

Institution/Department

Maine Medical Center Research Institute

Journal Title

Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA

MeSH Headings

IGF1 protein, human, Insulin-Like Growth Factor I, Anorexia Nervosa, Bone and Bones, Biological Assay, Bone Density

Abstract

IGF-1 and leptin are two nutritionally dependent hormones associated with low bone mass in women with anorexia nervosa. Using finite element analysis, we estimated bone strength in women with anorexia nervosa and found that IGF-1 but not leptin correlated significantly with estimated bone strength in both the radius and tibia.

PURPOSE: Women with anorexia nervosa, a psychiatric disorder characterized by self-induced starvation and low body weight, have impaired bone formation, low bone mass, and an increased risk of fracture. IGF-1 and leptin are two nutritionally dependent hormones that have been associated with low bone mass in women with anorexia nervosa. We hypothesized that IGF-1 and leptin would also be positively associated with estimated bone strength in women with anorexia nervosa.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study of 38 women (19 with anorexia nervosa and 19 normal-weight controls), we measured serum IGF-1 and leptin and performed finite element analysis of high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT images to measure stiffness and failure load of the distal radius and tibia.

RESULTS: IGF-1 was strongly correlated with estimated bone strength in the radius (R = 0.52, p = 0.02 for both stiffness and failure load) and tibia (R = 0.55, p = 0.01 for stiffness and R = 0.58, p = 0.01 for failure load) in the women with anorexia nervosa but not in normal-weight controls. In contrast, leptin was not associated with estimated bone strength in the group of women with anorexia nervosa or normal-weight controls.

CONCLUSIONS: IGF-1 is strongly associated with estimated bone strength in the radius and tibia in women with anorexia nervosa. Further studies are needed to assess whether treatment with recombinant human IGF-1 will further improve bone strength and reduce fracture risk in this population.

ISSN

1433-2965

First Page

259

Last Page

265

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