[Anorexia nervosa and cerebral atrophy in adolescents].
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of cerebral atrophy in patients with anorexia nervosa and its relation to nutritional parameters has not been considered yet.


METHODS
The medical records of 55 patients were reviewed. 47 of them underwent a cerebral magnetic resonance, anthropometric and nutritional study.


RESULTS
Cerebral atrophy was found in 10 (21.2%) out of the 47 patients studied. Those patients with cerebral atrophy showed an older age and greater percentage of weight loss than patients without atrophy (p = 0.014 and p = 0.001) but lower triceps skinfold average (p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Cerebral atrophy is common in patients with anorexia nervosa, mainly in those with a severe weight loss and lower body fat.
Fleta Zaragozano
Jesús
J
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Zaragoza, Spain. jfleta@unizar.es
Jiménez Vidal
Africa
A
Velilla Picazo
Mariano
M
González Castro
Gema
G
Pina Leita
Ignacio
I
Olivares López
José Luis
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D001284:Atrophy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index