Increased plasma asprosin levels are associated with overeating and loss of control in drug-free bulimia nervosa

Abstract

Purpose: Abnormalities in appetite hormones have been implicated in bulimia nervosa (BN). Orexigenic hormone asprosin has been reported to be associated with food intake and weight gain, but no relevant studies have yet been reported in BN. This study investigated asprosin concentrations and their association with eating disorder symptoms in patients with BN.

Methods: This study recruited a total of 26 BN patients and 23 healthy controls (HC). Symptom severity for eating disorders, depression, and anxiety was determined by the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire 6.0, Beck Depression Inventory, Version 2, and Beck Anxiety Inventory, respectively. In addition, the study employed sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay technology to determine plasma asprosin and glucose concentrations in all participants.

Results: The results revealed that plasma asprosin concentrations were significantly higher in BN patients than in HC (P = 0.037), but the difference disappeared after adjusting for the covariate BMI (F = 2.685, P = 0.108). Correlation analysis showed that asprosin concentration was positively correlated with overeating (r = 0.451, P = 0.021) and eating loss of control (r = 0.483, P = 0.012) in BN patients. Linear regression analysis indicated that an increase in asprosin concentration was associated with an increase in the times of overeating (F = 6.303, P = 0.019, R² = 0.208). Multiple linear regression showed that increases in asprosin concentration and BDI-II total score could explain the frequent eating loss of control (F = 5.766, P = 0.009, R² = 0.334).

Conclusions: The present study is the first report of plasma asprosin concentration in BN patients and found that overeating and eating loss of control increased with the increase of asprosin concentration. Additionally, asprosin level and degree of depression may explain the frequency of loss of control.

Level of evidence: Level III: Evidence obtained from case-control studies.

Keywords: Appetite; Asprosin; Bulimia nervosa; Eating disorders; Glucose.