Associations Between Anorexia Nervosa Severity, Liver Dysfunction, and Cobalamin Serum Concentration

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Psychiatry
• Gastroenterology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe psychiatric disorder causing malnutrition and organ dysfunction, including liver impairment.
• Standard liver markers like AST and ALT are used, but elevated cobalamin (vitamin B12) is noted in AN patients.
• The link between cobalamin levels and liver dysfunction in AN is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between cobalamin levels, liver enzyme abnormalities (AST, ALT), and body mass index (BMI) in patients with anorexia nervosa.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study of AN patients from April 2012 to March 2021.
• Exclusion criteria included alcohol use disorder, cancer, or vitamin supplementation.
• Measurements included AST, ALT, cobalamin levels, and BMI.

Main Results:

• BMI showed significant negative correlations with AST (r = -0.4703, p < 0.0001) and ALT (r = -0.3743, p < 0.0001).
• Patients with cobalamin >4000 pg/mL had significantly lower BMI than those with lower levels.
• Higher cobalamin levels were associated with increased AST and ALT.

Conclusions:

• Elevated cobalamin, AST, and ALT may indicate liver dysfunction and malnutrition severity in AN.
• Further research is needed to elucidate mechanisms and clinical implications for nutritional assessment and liver health evaluation.