Case Report: Rapid and partially persistent, improvements of anorexia nervosa and probable ME/CFS upon metreleptin treatment, 2023, Antel et al

Sly Saint

Sly Saint

Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Case Report: Rapid and partially persistent, improvements of anorexia nervosa and probable myalgic encephalo-myelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome upon metreleptin treatment during two dosing episodes

Jochen Antel1* Johannes Hebebrand1 Linda Von Piechowski2 Cordula Kiewert1 Burkhard Stüve3 Gertraud Gradl-Dietsch1

A comorbidity of anorexia nervosa (AN) and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CSF) is uncommon. A 17-year-old male adolescent with possible onset of ME/CFS after an Epstein Barr Virus infection (EBV) and later onset of AN during a second period of weight loss was twice treated off-label with metreleptin for 15 and 11 days, respectively. As in previous cases, eating disorder specific cognitions and mood improved. Interestingly, fatigue and post-exertional muscle pain (P-EMP) improved, too. We discuss potential mechanisms. Treatment with metreleptin may prove beneficial in AN and in ME/CSF associated with substantial weight loss.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1267495/abstract
 
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB09046
Metreleptin, a recombinant analog of the human hormone leptin, is an orphan drug used to treat complications of leptin deficiency in people with congenital or acquired lipodystrophy. Affecting less than 500 people worldwide, lipodystrophy is characterized by a lack of adipose tissue, fat deposition in the muscles and liver, and metabolic complications such as hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, and fatty liver disease.
Click to expand...

It's interesting, although I imagine correction of a lack of nutrient intake would help many symptoms, including fatigue and probably pain. It's good to hear that there might be a useful treatment for (at least some cases of) what has been labelled anorexia nervosa.
 
There is this relatively recent study of leptin in ME/CFS:
The Role of Leptin and Inflammatory Related Biomarkers in Individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 2022, Assil & Younger

We included 29 ME/CFS patients. All were females and >18 years old. Hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia/hypoleptinemia, and residual inflammation risk were 7%, 80%/7%, and 74%, respectively.
Click to expand...
On the face of it, higher levels of leptin seemed to be more characteristic of ME/CFS than low levels in this sample.

That makes adding leptin seem less likely to help, but perhaps there is something wrong with the way the natural leptin is working? Or perhaps the group with hypoleptinemia are a subset that leptin supplementation helps?

I haven't looked closely at either study yet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom