PMID: 6536680Oct 1, 1984Paper

Mitral valve prolapse in patients with anorexia nervosa

Journal of cardiography
Y OkaS Nomura

Abstract

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is frequently observed in patients with low body weight and/or skeletal abnormalities such as pectus excavatum and straight spines. There may be a variety of associated autonomic dysfunctions. Whether MVP is a complication of anorexia nervosa which has similar clinical features, including weight loss, skeletal abnormalities and autonomic dysfunctions, has not been reported. The present study was an investigation of the incidence of MVP and cardiac function in anorexia nervosa by echocardiography. Two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography, and systolic time intervals were evaluated for 19 women with anorexia nervosa, from 13 to 25 years of age and having a mean age of 18.2 years. Their body weights ranged from 23.9 to 43 kg with a mean of 33.5 kg, and were at least 25% less than their ideal body weights (ranges were from 25 to 52%). The same studies were performed for 19 women with MVP diagnosed echocardiographically and without anorexia nervosa as controls. Their ages ranged from 14 to 26 years. Results were as follows: MVP was observed in 74% of patients with anorexia nervosa. The mean heart rates were 51.7 and 70.5/min in the anorexia nervosa and control groups, respectively. A significant differ...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric condition characterized by severe weight loss and secondary problems associated with malnutrition. Here is the latest research on AN.