RT Journal
A1 SIGAL LH, SNYDER BK
T1 LOw serum complement levels in anorexia nervosa
JF American Journal of Diseases of Children
JO American Journal of Diseases of Children
YR 1989
FD December 1
VO 143
IS 12
SP 1391
OP 1392
DO 10.1001/archpedi.1989.02150240013004
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1989.02150240013004
AB Sir.—We read the review written by Eichenfield and Johnston,1 in the May 1989 issue of AJDC with great interest, but must disagree with one point, made in Table 1 and in the text. Much of the literature in immunology deals with the abnormalities of anorexia nervosa as if they were the same as the changes seen in malnutrition. Immune abnormalities in the children of Third-World countries, where parasitic infestation abounds and poor hygiene is all too common, are of little relevance to considerations of children of the American middle class, where infection is usually absent. Thus, the two are quite different and should be considered separately.Several studies of complement levels in individuals with anorexia nervosa have found a decrease in C3,2-4 and normal C4.2,3,5 Reductions in alternate-pathway components and control proteins2,4 have been found as well.In malnutrition complicated by infection, the most likely