title: Prevalence of cutaneous manifestations in 200 patients with eating disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Eating disorders are increasing and show a variety of symptoms. They mainly include anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and eating disorders not specified (EDNOS). They predominate in females and represent an important danger, especially in teenagers. In serious cases, they may be life-threatening. Objective To determine the prevalence of cutaneous findings in patients with eating disorders and to compare the results with those found in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational, transverse, and prospective study was performed. Two hundred patients of recent admission to ALUBA (association that fights against BN and AN), a psychiatric unit for eating disorders, were included: 122 BN; 62 AN; 16 EDNOS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with eating disorders show dermatologic manifestations (alopecia, xerosis, hypertrichosis, caries, nail fragility) that are secondary to starvation. Russell's sign, seen as calluses on the dorsal aspect of the hands, is a consequence of self-induced vomiting and the local trauma of the superior incisors. This sign represents a compensatory behavior to overeating and predominates in the BN group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recognition of dermatologic signs could be of immense value and could lead to the early diagnosis and treatment of these eating disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division Dermatologic, Hospital de Clínicas "José de San Martín," Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Glorio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allevato
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Pablo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abbruzzese
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Savarin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibarra
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Busso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mordoh
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Llopis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bello
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Woscoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*