Pericardial effusions in anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that may be accompanied by cardiac s ymptoms of varying severity. So far disturbances like arrhythmias, mitral v alve prolapse and loss of cardial ventricle mass have been described. Other somatic complications consist of electrolyte and acid-base imbalances, whi ch in turn influence cardiac function. Between 1990 and 1999 we observed te n case reports from inpatient anorexic female adolescents, who developed pe ricardial effusions in the course of their illness. The diagnosis and cours e was revealed by echocardiography. No signs of heart failure could be noti ced. In eight patients pericardial effusion remitted completely or partly b y a concurrent increase in weight. A distinct pathophysiology for the devel opment of pericardial effusion could not be revealed, but a correlation to restoration of weight seems to exist. Our report suggests that pericardial effusions are more frequent cardiac complications in anorexia nervosa than previously known. In most cases the clinical significance is doubtful.