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Incontinence and constipation in adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa—Results of a multicenter study from a German web‐based registry for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa
Author(s) -
Mattheus Hannah K.,
Wagner Catharina,
Becker Katja,
Bühren Katharina,
Correll Christoph U.,
Egberts Karin M.,
Ehrlich Stefan,
Fleischhaker Christian,
Föcker Manuel,
Hahn Freia,
Hebebrand Johannes,
HerpertzDahlmann Beate,
Jaite Charlotte,
Jenetzky Ekkehart,
Kaess Michael,
Legenbauer PhD Tanja,
Pfeiffer PhD Jens P.,
Renner MD Tobias J.,
Roessner Veit,
Schulze Ulrike,
Sinzig Judith,
Wessing Ida,
Gontard Alexander
Publication year - 2020
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.23182
Subject(s) - constipation , medicine , comorbidity , anorexia nervosa , enuresis , fecal incontinence , urinary incontinence , pediatrics , population , eating disorders , psychiatry , surgery , environmental health
Abstract Objective Nocturnal enuresis (NE), daytime urinary incontinence (DUI), and fecal incontinence (FI) are common disorders in childhood and are frequently accompanied by comorbid psychiatric disorders. Despite a high association between urinary and fecal incontinence with psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, research on comorbidity between incontinence and anorexia nervosa (AN) remains scarce. Yet, it is well known that somatic consequences of AN include metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders. The study sought to assess the prevalence of incontinence and constipation in children and adolescents with AN and to examine associations of these two symptoms with body weight at admission and with BMI changes during inpatient treatment. Methods Data collected between 2015 and 2017 by a multicenter German web‐based registry for AN were analyzed. Three hundred and forty‐eight patients with AN (96.3% female, mean age = 15.1 ± 1.8 years) were assessed regarding AN subtype, psychiatric comorbidity, body weight, incontinence, and constipation. Results Overall, 27.6% of patients had constipation, 1.8% had NE and 1.8% DUI. Prevalence of constipation did not significantly differ between AN subtypes. Constipation did not lead to any significant differences in weight/BMI changes during inpatient treatment. Discussion This is the largest study of incontinence and constipation in patients with AN, so far. Our results indicate that constipation is highly prevalent in adolescent patients with AN and reflects a clinically relevant condition. Despite, patients with AN do not have an increased prevalence of incontinence compared with the general population. Future studies should include medical examinations like ultrasound and physical examination of the lower abdomen to evaluate the severity of constipation.