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Thermal Imaging of Body Surface Temperature Distribution in Women with Anorexia Nervosa
Author(s) -
Chudecka Monika,
Lubkowska Anna
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
european eating disorders review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.511
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1099-0968
pISSN - 1072-4133
DOI - 10.1002/erv.2388
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , thermoregulation , abdomen , eating disorders , body mass index , medicine , body surface area , body surface , surgery , psychiatry , geometry , mathematics
The drastic reduction in body weight observed in anorexia nervosa (AN) leads to various endocrine changes and consequently to disturbance in thermoregulation mechanisms and body temperature. Thermography allows for a noninvasive diagnosis of the distribution of skin surface temperatures, which is especially important for difficult patients such as women with AN, who are often very sensitive and difficult to treat. The main aim of this study was to measure the mean temperatures (T mean ) of selected body areas in young women diagnosed with AN and identify those areas where the temperature differences were particularly significant between healthy women and them. Additionally, we determined the relationships between body mass index, body composition (especially subcutaneous and VFM) and the value of mean surface temperature (T mean ) in AN woman. In the subjects with AN, T mean of the abdomen, lower back and thighs were significantly higher than in the reference group, while T mean of the hands were significantly lower. Among other things, analysis showed a significant negative correlation between T mean of the abdomen, lower back and thighs, and the mass of subcutaneous and visceral fat. The lower T mean of the hand was directly proportional to the reduced anthropomorphic parameters. The direct evaluation of body surface temperature distribution could provide clinical implications for the treatment of anorexic patients, including the potential use of thermotherapy in stimulating the circulatory system, especially in hypothermia, bradycardia and hypotension. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.