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Persistence of nutritional deficiencies after short‐term weight recovery in adolescents with anorexia nervosa
Author(s) -
Castro Josefina,
Deulofeu Ramón,
Gila Araceli,
Puig Josefina,
Toro Josep
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.10249
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , persistence (discontinuity) , psychology , term (time) , anorexia , developmental psychology , eating disorders , medicine , psychiatry , physics , geotechnical engineering , quantum mechanics , engineering
Objectives To study nutritional abnormalities in adolescent anorexia nervosa and to establish whether certain abnormalities persist after short‐term refeeding. Method Sixty‐one patients (10–19 years old) admitted to a reference unit for eating disorders between 1999 and 2000 with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa were evaluated at admission and at discharge. A range of biochemical, nutritional, and hormonal parameters were determined. Results At admission, no protein or lipid deficiencies were found, although many patients presented with hormonal abnormalities and red blood cell folate and zinc deficiencies. Hormonal abnormalities reverted significantly ( p < .000) after renutrition. There were decreases in erythrocytes and in levels of hemoglobin ( p < .000) and folic acid ( p < .05). Red blood cell folate and zinc increased but did not reach normal levels. Conclusions In a large proportion of adolescent anorexic patients, supplementation of folic acid and zinc is recommended although protein or hormonal replacement does not seem to be necessary. © 2004 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 35: 169–178, 2004.