The objectives of the study were: (1) the evaluation of the blood serum concentration of ZAG (Zinc-alpha 2 Glycoprotein) in girls with anorexia nervosa, as well as in girls with simple obesity and healthy girls; and (2) the valuation of the relationship between the blood level of ZAG and the duration of AN and anthropometric parameters, parameters of the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, thyroid hormones, and cortisol in the blood in all study subjects. Materials and methods: The study covered 87 girls (aged 11–17.9 years). The studied group (AN) contained 30 girls suffering from anorexia nervosa, and the control groups contained 30 healthy girls (H) and 27 girls with simple obesity (OB), respectively. Results: The mean concentration of ZAG in the blood serum in the AN group was significantly higher than in the OB and H groups. Accumulatively, the level of ZAG in the entire studied group correlated negatively with the parameters of their nutritional status. The mean concentrations of ZAG in the entire group correlated positively with the concentrations of HDL and cortisol and negatively with insulin, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, and hsCRP. Conclusions: The higher blood concentrations of ZAG in girls with AN compared to healthy subjects seemed to constitute a secondary adaptation mechanism in response to the undernourishment status. ZAG blood concentration values correlated negatively with body mass, BMI, Cole’s index, the level of insulin, and the HOMA-IR score, whereas they correlated positively with the level of cortisol. Increased ZAG levels in AN patients may result from increased levels of cortisol, manifesting in malfunction along the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, which in effect can promote body weight loss.

Introduction: Peptide YY (PYY), a key satiety hormone, exhibits altered serum concentrations in body weight disorders, although its role remains debated. Conflicting adult studies highlight the need to clarify PYY 1-36 dynamics in pediatric populations with anorexia nervosa (AN) and obesity (OB). Material and methods: Fasting serum PYY 1-36 concentrations were analyzed in 199 girls: 58 with restrictive AN [median age 15.0 (interquartile range; IQR): 14.0–16.0 years], 52 with OB [14.3 (12.3–16.3) years], and 89 healthy controls (C) [16.5 (15.5–17.5) years]. Anthropometric and metabolic/hormonal parameters were assessed. Group differences were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test. Relationships between fasting serum peptide YY (PYY) 1-36 concentrations and demographic/clinical parameters were examined using Spearman rank correlation coefficients. Results: AN patients had significantly higher PYY 1-36 levels [77.2 (71.1–82.4) pg/mL] compared to OB [36.0 (34.3–38.5) pg/mL] and C [49.7 (46.7–51.5) pg/mL; p < 0.001]. A strong inverse correlation between PYY and body mass index (BMI) was observed across all subjects (Rho = −0.8, p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)-derived cut-offs differentiated AN (> 59.04 pg/mL; sensitivity 95%, specificity 100%) and OB (< 43.18 pg/mL; sensitivity 89%, specificity 90%) from C. Conclusions: 1. Our research underscores significant PYY concentration disparities among weight disorders. 2. Significant differences in PYY concentrations in girls with body weight disorders as compared to healthy girls with normal body weight may indicate a role of this peptide in the body’s adaptation to maintain energy homeostasis in connection with the ongoing disease. Keywords: peptide YY PYY anorexia nervosa obesity appetite-regulating hormones eating-related disorders

Introduction Graves’ disease (GD) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) represent distinct autoimmune disorders affecting the thyroid and liver, respectively. Case presentation This report discusses a case of a 13-year-old boy with rare coexistence of GD and AIH. The patient was admitted to the...