Resting energy expenditure and plasma leptin levels in anorexia nervosa during acute refeeding

To examine changes in plasma leptin levels and resting energy expenditure (REE) during short-term refeeding of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN).

This was a longitudinal study of 21 women meeting the DSM-IV criteria for AN who were admitted to the hospital for renutrition. Height, weight, percent body fat (assessed by skin fold thickness), REE (measured by indirect calorimetry), and circulating plasma leptin concentration were assessed at the time of admission and 7 days later.

Over the course of 1 week of refeeding, body mass index (BMI) increased 0.75 +/- 0.15 kg/m(2) (p <.0001), body fat increased 0.9 +/- 0.2% (p <.0001), and REE increased 107 +/- 33 kcal/24 hr (p =.0037). The change in mean leptin levels was not statistically significant (0.45 +/- 0.44 ng/ml; p =.32).

Leptin is unlikely responsible for the increase in REE observed with short-term refeeding.