L. Kotler et al., CASE-STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF PROLONGED AND SEVERE ANOREXIA-NERVOSA ONBONE-MINERAL DENSITY, The International journal of eating disorders, 15(4), 1994, pp. 395-399
Among the most severe sequelae of anorexia nervosa (AN) are its skelet
al complications. Young women who have AN during adolescence may not a
ttain their expected peak skeletal mass, and may enter adulthood with
reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and an increased risk of fracture.
This case history describes a young woman with severe AN that included
prolonged exposure to both low body weight and amenorrhea. BMD measur
ement during the acute stage of her illness revealed severe osteopenia
. Six years after recovery from AN, follow-up studies demonstrated onl
y modest gains in BMD, with measurements for the hip and lumbar spine
that are greater than 2 SDs below the age-matched mean. (C) 1994 by Jo
hn Wiley & Sons, Inc.