Hyperphagia among patients with Bardet-Biedl syndrome.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:The importance of hyperphagia as a cause for energy imbalance in humans with Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) has not been established. We therefore compared hyperphagic symptoms in patients with BBS vs. controls. METHODS:We studied 13 patients with BBS and 23 non-syndromic controls with similar age, sex and body mass index (BMI) z-score. A 13-item hyperphagia questionnaire was completed by patients' parents/guardians. RESULTS:Total hyperphagia questionnaire score was higher in BBS than controls (27.6?±?9.0 vs. 19.1?±?7.9, P?=?0.005). Behaviour and drive subscales were higher for BBS than controls (12.5?±?4.1 vs. 7.8?±?3.2, P?=?0.001, and 11.2?±?4.1 vs. 8.3?±?3.8, P?=?0.04, respectively); severity was not significantly different between groups (3.8?±?1.5 vs. 3.0?±?1.3, P?=?0.072). After adjustment for demographic variables and BMI z-score, total and behaviour subscale scores remained significantly different between groups, suggesting food-seeking activity, rather than preoccupation with food may be the main hyperphagic feature among patients with BBS. CONCLUSION:Appetite dysregulation may contribute to obesity in BBS.

SUBMITTER: Sherafat-Kazemzadeh R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3901011 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature