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Low body mass index correlates with low left ventricular mass index in patients with severe anorexia nervosa

Masanari Kuwabara1,2,3, Koichiro Niwa4, Ui Yamada5

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, St. Luke's International Hospital, 9-1 Akashi-cho, Chuou-ku, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan. kuwamasa728@gmail.com.

Heart and Vessels
|September 10, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Anorexia nervosa (AN) patients exhibit reduced heart size, specifically left ventricular (LV) mass and LV mass index (LVMI). Lower body mass index (BMI) correlates with decreased LVMI, suggesting it as a severity marker for AN cardiac conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Psychiatry
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Anorexia nervosa (AN) is linked to high mortality, yet specific causes remain unclear.
  • Cardiac complications, including left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and atrophy, are hypothesized in AN patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cardiac disorders in AN patients.
  • To test the hypothesis of LV dysfunction and atrophy in AN.
  • To assess correlations between body mass index (BMI) and cardiac dimensions.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 13 female inpatients with AN at St. Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo.
  • Echocardiography used to assess LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV mass, and LV mass index (LVMI).
  • Correlations between BMI and LV mass/LVMI were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Mean patient age was 34.8 years, mean BMI was 15.5 kg/m².
  • 12 of 13 patients had normal LVEF; no mitral valve prolapse observed.
  • LV mass and LVMI were significantly reduced, correlating positively with BMI (r=0.58-0.74, p<0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Severe AN is associated with decreased heart volume, including LV mass and LVMI.
  • Low LVMI may serve as a valuable indicator of AN severity.
  • Further research is needed to understand the long-term cardiac implications in AN survivors.

Keywords:
Anorexia nervosaBody mass indexEchocardiographyHeart volume

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