Bone mineral density in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa

Abstract

The total body and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) were measured in order to determine the prevalence and possible risk factors of decreased BMD in anorexia nervosa (AN). Subjects Sixty-one in-patient girls with DSM III-R AN: age 14.7±2.16 years; duration of AN 12.9±15.1 months; percentage of ideal body weight 70±8.7 %; body mass index score −1.62±0.79. Method Total body (in 61 patients) and lumbar spine BMD (in 43 patients), content of lean and fat tissue mass were measured by DXA during the first month of treatment. Results Low total body BMD was found in 23.7 % and low lumbar spine BMD in 36.6 % of patients. There was a negative correlation between BMD and age, age of menarche, degree of undernourishment, duration of AN and amenorrhea. A step-wise linear regression analysis revealed that age of menarche was the most important factor related to BMD in this group.