Skeletal measurements by quantitative ultrasound in adolescents and young women with anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
To compare quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) with that in healthy control subjects and to determine the utility of QUS as a tool to evaluate skeletal status in these patients.


METHODS
Female adolescents with AN (n = 41) and healthy control subjects (n = 105) were recruited. Speed of sound (SOS) was measured at the radius and tibia. Participants with AN also had hip and spinal areal bone mineral density measurements by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA); bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) was calculated.


RESULTS
Subjects with AN had higher mean radial SOS (4044 +/- 99 m/s) than did control subjects (3947 +/- 116 m/s; P < .0001). These results were replicated at the tibia (AN, 3918 +/- 85 m/s vs control subjects, 3827 +/- 106 m/s; P < .0001). Neither DXA measures of areal bone mineral density nor BMAD were correlated with SOS. Weight and body mass index were negative predictors of tibial but not radial SOS. AN status remained a significant predictor of SOS after controlling for body mass index, age, and race.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjects with AN had higher mean tibial and radial SOS than did control subjects. QUS variables did not correlate with DXA measures, calculated BMAD, or anthropometric variables. QUS measurements of SOS do not appear to be appropriate for bone density screening in patients with AN.
DiVasta
Amy D
AD
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. amy.divasta@childrens.harvard.edu
Ringelheim
Julie
J
Bristol
Stephanie K
SK
Feldman
Henry A
HA
Gordon
Catherine M
CM
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*