Lipid profile and cardiovascular risk in anorexia nervosa; the effect of nutritional treatment

The aim of this study was to explore the lipid profile in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), and the changes with refeeding.

The sample comprised 102 AN outpatients (mean age 22.32 ± 3.17). Blood tests, after 12-hour overnight fast, were performed before refeeding (M(0)) and after weight restoration (M(1)). Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides (TRG) were determined and the following cardiovascular risk markers were calculated: LDL/HDL and TC/HDL ratios. These cut-off points were considered: TC < 200 mg/dl; HDL > 40 mg/dl; LDL < 100 mg/dl and TRG < 150 mg/dl.

The time leading to weight restoration was 8.16 ± 7.35 months. Considering patients with scores higher and lower than the corresponding cut-off points, X²-test revealed a significant difference (M(0)-M(1)) in case of TC (p < 0.05) as well as between LDL/HDL(0) and LDL/HDL(1) (p < 0.05) and between TC/HDL(0) and TC/HDL(1) (p < 0.01). Significant differences were found between HDL(0) and HDL(1) (p < 0.01) and between TRG(0) and TRG(1) (p < 0.01). Significant and negative associations between BMI(0) and TC(0) (r = -0.331; p < 0.05) and between TRG(0) and HDL(0) (r = -0.387; p < 0.05) were found. The association between TRG(1) and LDL(1) was significant and positive.

Weight restoration tends to decrease the TC/HDL and LDL/HDL ratios despite a considerable percentage of patients maintain scores on the different variables of the lipid profile usually considered at risk.