Osteoporosis in Chinese patients with anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
A case-control study was conducted to determine whether bone mass is reduced in Chinese patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and to study the risk factors for low bone mass in the same population.


METHODS
Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and hip was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 42 AN patients and 221 controls.


RESULTS
Patients with AN had a significantly lower BMD in the total hip and spine compared with controls (p <.001). In AN patients, linear regression showed that lowest body mass index (BMI) was positively associated with BMD in the hip (p = .04) whereas duration of illness was negatively associated with BMD in the hip (p = .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Chinese patients with AN are at risk of low BMD. Duration of illness and lowest BMI were significant predictors of reduced BMD in Chinese patients with AN.
Wong
Samuel
S
Jockey Club Centre for Osteoporosis Care and Control, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. yeungshanwong@cuhk.edu.hk
Au
Betty
B
Lau
Edith
E
Lee
Yvonne
Y
Sham
Aprille
A
Lee
Sing
S
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index