Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder with somatic complications. The aim of the study was to analyse echocardiographic
abnormalities in patients with AN at initial examination and after weight restoration. A total of 173 consecutively admitted
adolescents (aged 12–17 years), diagnosed with DSM-IV AN (307.1) were evaluated in a child and adolescent psychiatric department
of a major university hospital from December 1997 to August 2008. In addition, 40 healthy adolescents of the same age with
normal weight were examined. In patients with AN, 34.7% had a pericardial effusion (PE) which was clinically silent. In contrast,
none of the controls presented with PE (p < 0.001). No differences across AN subtypes were observed. Patients with PE showed significantly lower body mass index (BMI)
(p = 0.016) than patients without PE. They had more prominent low-T3 syndrome (p = 0.003) and longer duration of hospitalisation (p = 0.008) after controlling for BMI at admission. Remission of PE was observed in 88% of the patients after weight restoration.
Left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions in AN were significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.001). There were no differences in interventricular septum thickness, posterior wall thickness and fractional shortening.
This report indicates that adolescents with AN show cardiac abnormalities in comparison to healthy young women. Furthermore,
PE is a frequent cardiac complication in patients with AN and it is associated with BMI, low T3 serum levels and duration
of hospitalisation.
abnormalities in patients with AN at initial examination and after weight restoration. A total of 173 consecutively admitted
adolescents (aged 12–17 years), diagnosed with DSM-IV AN (307.1) were evaluated in a child and adolescent psychiatric department
of a major university hospital from December 1997 to August 2008. In addition, 40 healthy adolescents of the same age with
normal weight were examined. In patients with AN, 34.7% had a pericardial effusion (PE) which was clinically silent. In contrast,
none of the controls presented with PE (p < 0.001). No differences across AN subtypes were observed. Patients with PE showed significantly lower body mass index (BMI)
(p = 0.016) than patients without PE. They had more prominent low-T3 syndrome (p = 0.003) and longer duration of hospitalisation (p = 0.008) after controlling for BMI at admission. Remission of PE was observed in 88% of the patients after weight restoration.
Left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions in AN were significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.001). There were no differences in interventricular septum thickness, posterior wall thickness and fractional shortening.
This report indicates that adolescents with AN show cardiac abnormalities in comparison to healthy young women. Furthermore,
PE is a frequent cardiac complication in patients with AN and it is associated with BMI, low T3 serum levels and duration
of hospitalisation.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Contribution
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s00787-011-0227-8
- Authors
- Sabrina Kastner, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Harriet Salbach-Andrae, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Babette Renneberg, Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Ernst Pfeiffer, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Ulrike Lehmkuhl, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Lothar Schmitz, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- Journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Online ISSN 1435-165X
- Print ISSN 1018-8827