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Updated: Feb 20, 2026

Assessing Activity-based Anorexia in Mice
Published on: May 14, 2018
Excessive physical activity in young girls with restrictive-type anorexia nervosa: its role on cardiac structure and
Lucia Billeci1, Elena Brunori2, Silvia Scardigli2
1Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy. lbilleci@fsm.unipi.it.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of hyperactivity on left ventricular mass (LVM) in Anorexia Nervosa restricting-type (AN-R) and the correlation between LVM and auxologic parameters/circulating hormones.
Methods:
Echocardiography was performed in 44 AN-R girls, subgrouped in 24 hyperactive (ANH+) and 20 non-hyperactive (ANH-), and in 20 controls (HC). LVM indexed to Body Surface Area (LVMi) and LVM indexed to height (LVMh) were calculated.
Results:
LVMi and LVMh were significantly lower in the AN-R subjects compared to HC. Moreover, both LVMi and LVMh were higher in the ANH+ than in the ANH-. In the HC, LVMi was higher when compared to the ANH- subjects than to the ANH+. Stepwise analysis revealed that in the ANH+ group, fT4 was the only independent predictor of LVMh, while in the ANH- group, height was the only independent predictors of LVMi.
Conclusions:
Despite its negative influence on disease severity and outcome, hyperactivity from the standpoint of cardiac function makes the LVM of AN-R young girls more similar to HC.
Level Of Evidence:
Level III, case-control study.
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