Hematological changes in adolescent anorexia nervosa

Objective: Hematological changes often occur in patients with acute anorexia nervosa (AN). However, the relationship between these disturbances and other clinical parameters remains unclear. Method: Leucocyte, erythrocyte, and thrombocyte counts as well as hematocrit, hemoglobin, and differential blood counts were collected at admission and after weight restoration in 88 female adolescent patients with the diagnosis of AN according to DSM-IV. These were then compared to clinical parameters. Results: At admission, there were mild changes in the blood count, most of which, however, were reversible after weight gain. Patients with a greater weight loss, a lower age-adjusted BMI, and a history of taking psychotropic drugs were more likely to develop hematological abnormalities. Conclusions: Although most of the hematological changes in adolescent patients with AN were mild, patients with high weight loss and/ or low age-adjusted BMI as well as those on psychotropic medication should be monitored carefully in order to avoid severe medical complications. An altered immune function in adult patients with chronic AN might contribute to a higher rate of infections and thus to an increased mortality.