Increased copper content in hair mineral assay of anorexia nervosa patients: 3 cases.

Ha, Jae Eun; Chun, Gun Young; Kim, Su Yean; Jang, Ha Kyun; Park, Ho Jung; Cho, Hyun Hee

Case Report

Korean Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2008;51(11):1373-1378.
Published online November 1, 2008.

Increased copper content in hair mineral assay of anorexia nervosa patients: 3 cases.

Jae Eun Ha, Gun Young Chun, Su Yean Kim, Ha Kyun Jang, Ho Jung Park, Hyun Hee Cho

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea. drrabbit@catholic.ac.kr

Abstract

Anorexia nervosa is a kind of dietary disorder which causes amenorhea, weight loss, behavioral changes, and its hormonal status is typical hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. The patients with anorexia nervosa showed many hormonal and chemical abonormal findings, like decresed follicular stimulating hormone, decreased lutealizing hormone and estrogen, increased cortisol, hypokalemia, hypercarotenemia. But tissue mineral contents of anorexia nervosa were not reported. We experience the typical increase of tissue copper contents in three anorexia nervosa patients in recent days, so report them with reviews of literatures.

Key Words: Anorexia nervosa, Hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, Copper