Critical gaps in the medical knowledge base of eating disorders.

Eating disorders are unique in that they inherently have much medical comorbidity both as a part of restricting-type eating disorders and those characterized by purging behaviors. Over the last three decades, remarkable progress has been made in the understanding and treatment of the medical complications of eating disorders. Yet, unfortunately, there is much research that is sorely needed to bridge the gap between current medical knowledge and more effective and evidence-based medical treatment knowledge.

Hepatic Complications of Anorexia Nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) has the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric illnesses due to the widespread organ dysfunction caused by the underlying severe malnutrition. Starvation causes hepatocyte injury and death leading to a rise in aminotransferases. Malnutrition-induced hepatitis is common among individuals with AN especially as body mass index decreases.

Liver dysfunction in patients with severe anorexia nervosa.

Objective: Evaluation of liver dysfunction in patients with severe anorexia nervosa (AN) has typically been limited to small case series. We report an investigation into the admission characteristics and clinical outcomes associated with liver dysfunction in a large cohort of adults hospitalized for medical stabilization of severe AN.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated electronic medical records to quantify the cumulative incidence of elevated aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).

Severe anorexia nervosa in males: clinical presentations and medical treatment.

The clinical presentation and medical complications of severe anorexia nervosa among males were examined to further the understanding of this increasingly prevalent condition. Fourteen males were admitted to a medical stabilization unit over the study period. Males with severe anorexia nervosa were found to have a multitude of significant medical and laboratory abnormalities, which are in need of treatment via judicious, nutritional rehabilitation and weight restoration to prevent additional morbidity and to facilitate transfer and admission to traditional eating disorder programs.