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Cao J, Gorwood P, Ramoz N, Viltart O. The Role of Central and Peripheral Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) as a Biomarker of Anorexia Nervosa Reconceptualized as a Metabo-Psychiatric Disorder. Nutrients 2024; 16:2617. [PMID: 39203753 PMCID: PMC11357464 DOI: 10.3390/nu16162617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophic factors play pivotal roles in shaping brain development and function, with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) emerging as a key regulator in various physiological processes. This review explores the intricate relationship between BDNF and anorexia nervosa (AN), a complex psychiatric disorder characterized by disordered eating behaviors and severe medical consequences. Beginning with an overview of BDNF's fundamental functions in neurodevelopment and synaptic plasticity, the review delves into recent clinical and preclinical evidence implicating BDNF in the pathophysiology of AN. Specifically, it examines the impact of BDNF polymorphisms, such as the Val66Met variant, on AN susceptibility, prognosis, and treatment response. Furthermore, the review discusses the interplay between BDNF and stress-related mood disorders, shedding light on the mechanisms underlying AN vulnerability to stress events. Additionally, it explores the involvement of BDNF in metabolic regulation, highlighting its potential implications for understanding the metabolic disturbances observed in AN. Through a comprehensive analysis of clinical data and animal studies, the review elucidates the nuanced role of BDNF in AN etiology and prognosis, emphasizing its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Finally, the review discusses limitations and future directions in BDNF research, underscoring the need for further investigations to elucidate the complex interplay between BDNF signaling and AN pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxian Cao
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR-S 1266, F-75014 Paris, France (O.V.)
| | - Philip Gorwood
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR-S 1266, F-75014 Paris, France (O.V.)
- GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, CMME, Hôpital Sainte Anne, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Ramoz
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR-S 1266, F-75014 Paris, France (O.V.)
- GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, CMME, Hôpital Sainte Anne, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Odile Viltart
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), Université Paris Cité, INSERM UMR-S 1266, F-75014 Paris, France (O.V.)
- SCALab Laboratory, PsySEF Faculty, Université de Lille, UMR CNRS 9193, F-59650 Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
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Nguyen N, Woodside DB, Lam E, Quehenberger O, German JB, Shih PAB. Fatty Acids and Their Lipogenic Enzymes in Anorexia Nervosa Clinical Subtypes. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5516. [PMID: 38791555 PMCID: PMC11122126 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Disordered eating behavior differs between the restricting subtype (AN-R) and the binging and purging subtype (AN-BP) of anorexia nervosa (AN). Yet, little is known about how these differences impact fatty acid (FA) dysregulation in AN. To address this question, we analyzed 26 FAs and 7 FA lipogenic enzymes (4 desaturases and 3 elongases) in 96 women: 25 AN-R, 25 AN-BP, and 46 healthy control women. Our goal was to assess subtype-specific patterns. Lauric acid was significantly higher in AN-BP than in AN-R at the fasting timepoint (p = 0.038) and displayed significantly different postprandial changes 2 h after eating. AN-R displayed significantly higher levels of n-3 alpha-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid, and n-6 linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid compared to controls. AN-BP showed elevated EPA and saturated lauric acid compared to controls. Higher EPA was associated with elevated anxiety in AN-R (p = 0.035) but was linked to lower anxiety in AN-BP (p = 0.043). These findings suggest distinct disordered eating behaviors in AN subtypes contribute to lipid dysregulation and eating disorder comorbidities. A personalized dietary intervention may improve lipid dysregulation and enhance treatment effectiveness for AN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhien Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - D. Blake Woodside
- Centre for Mental Health, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Eileen Lam
- Centre for Mental Health, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Oswald Quehenberger
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - J. Bruce German
- Department of Food Science & Technology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Pei-an Betty Shih
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Uziel O, Dickstein H, Beery E, Lewis Y, Loewenthal R, Uziel E, Shochat Z, Weizman A, Stein D. Differences in Telomere Length between Adolescent Females with Anorexia Nervosa Restricting Type and Anorexia Nervosa Binge-Purge Type. Nutrients 2023; 15:2596. [PMID: 37299559 PMCID: PMC10255620 DOI: 10.3390/nu15112596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Physiological and psychological distress may accelerate cellular aging, manifested by shortening of telomere length (TL). The present study focused on TL shortening in anorexia nervosa (AN), an illness combining physiological and psychological distress. For that purpose, we measured TL in 44 female adolescents with AN at admission to inpatient treatment, in a subset of 18 patients also at discharge, and in 22 controls. No differences in TL were found between patients with AN and controls. At admission, patients with AN-binge/purge type (AN-B/P; n = 18) showed shorter TL compared with patients with AN-restricting type (AN-R; n = 26). No change in TL was found from admission to discharge, despite an improvement in body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) following inpatient treatment. Older age was the only parameter assessed to be correlated with greater TL shortening. Several methodological changes have to be undertaken to better understand the putative association of shorter TL with B/P behaviors, including increasing the sample size and the assessment of the relevant pathological eating disorder (ED) and non-ED psychological correlates in the two AN subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orit Uziel
- Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Petah Tikva 69978, Israel; (O.U.)
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Hadar Dickstein
- Safra Children’s Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel
| | - Einat Beery
- Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Petah Tikva 69978, Israel; (O.U.)
| | - Yael Lewis
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Shalvatah Mental Health Center, Hod Hasahron 45100, Israel
| | - Ron Loewenthal
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Safra Children’s Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel
| | - Eran Uziel
- Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva 49100, Israel
| | - Zipi Shochat
- Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva 49100, Israel
| | - Abraham Weizman
- Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Petah Tikva 69978, Israel; (O.U.)
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Statistical Service, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva 49100, Israel
| | - Daniel Stein
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Safra Children’s Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 52621, Israel
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Miller AE, Trolio V, Halicki-Asakawa A, Racine SE. Eating disorders and the nine symptoms of borderline personality disorder: A systematic review and series of meta-analyses. Int J Eat Disord 2022; 55:993-1011. [PMID: 35579043 DOI: 10.1002/eat.23731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Eating disorders and borderline personality disorder have high rates of comorbidity. However, the extent to which individual BPD symptoms are elevated in patients with EDs is largely unknown. Meta-analyses examined: (1) which of the nine BPD symptoms are especially elevated in individuals with versus without EDs, (2) whether particular ED subtypes have elevated levels of certain BPD symptoms, and (3) which BPD symptoms remain unstudied/understudied in relation to EDs. METHODS We performed nine separate meta-analyses (one for each BPD symptom) to compare levels of symptoms in patients with EDs versus healthy controls. A total of 122 studies (range = 4-34 studies across symptoms) were included. RESULTS Affective instability was the BPD symptom most elevated, while anger was the BPD symptom least elevated, in patients with EDs compared to controls. When comparing effect sizes across ED subtypes, anorexia nervosa binge-eating/purging subtype had the largest effect sizes for the greatest number of BPD symptoms, while effect sizes for AN restrictive subtype were not significantly larger than those of other EDs for any BPD symptom. The least studied BPD symptoms were identity disturbance and interpersonal difficulties. DISCUSSION These meta-analyses suggest that certain symptoms of BPD play a more prominent role in the comorbidity between BPD and EDs than others. Targeting affective instability when treating cases of comorbid ED and BPD may be especially likely to ameliorate the negative outcomes related to this comorbidity. Future research should further investigate identity disturbance and interpersonal difficulties in the context of EDs. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE Having an eating disorder and borderline personality disorder is a common comorbidity associated with a severe clinical presentation. BPD is characterized by nine distinct symptoms. This research examined levels of individual BPD symptoms in patients with versus without EDs. Findings can guide researchers and clinicians towards studying and treating symptoms that may be most relevant for BPD-ED comorbidity and in turn, improve outcomes for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia E Miller
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Vittoria Trolio
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Amané Halicki-Asakawa
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah E Racine
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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A Multi-Faceted Evaluation of Impulsivity Traits and Early Maladaptive Schemas in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10245895. [PMID: 34945191 PMCID: PMC8703582 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10245895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) are classified either as restrictive (ANr) or binge/purge (ANbp) according to the absence or presence of impulsive eating and compensatory behaviors. The aim of the present study was to assess the levels of impulsivity in both AN subtypes and to explore whether individual differences in impulsivity may be explained by differences in the presence of early maladaptive schemas. (2) Methods: the sample group included 122 patients with ANr, 112 patients with ANbp, and 131 healthy women (HW). All of these participants completed the UPPS-P scale for an assessment of impulsive behaviors and the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3) for an assessment of early maladaptive schemas. (3) Results: the patients with ANbp displayed higher levels of impulsivity compared with the patients with ANr and HW. Patients with AN, especially the restrictive subtype, also reported higher levels of early maladaptive schemas than HW, and regression analyses revealed that specific maladaptive schemas partially explain the variability in impulsivity in both patients and HW. (4) Conclusions: it appears that maladaptive beliefs developed during childhood or adolescence may predict the development of impulsivity, a personality trait usually associated with maladaptive behaviors, and appears to be prevalent among ANbp patients. The clinical effects of this, as well as directions for future study, are also discussed in this paper.
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Guinhut M, Melchior JC, Godart N, Hanachi M. Extremely severe anorexia nervosa: Hospital course of 354 adult patients in a clinical nutrition-eating disorders-unit. Clin Nutr 2020; 40:1954-1965. [PMID: 33023762 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2020.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The clinical nutrition-eating disorders-unit in Raymond Poincaré Hospital is a reference center for the management of severe malnutrition and its complications in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). The purpose of this study is to specify socio-demographic, anamnesic and clinical characteristics of AN patients hospitalized for extreme malnutrition, to identify types and prevalence of medical complications presented during their hospitalization for refeeding and the evolution of patients nutritional status. METHODS Demographic, clinical and paraclinical data of 354 severely malnourished AN patients were collected, during their first hospitalization in the unit, between November 1997 and January 2014, through medical records. The prevalence of medical complications was compared between the 2 AN subtypes (restricting and binging-purging). RESULTS 339 patients were female and mean age was 28.7 ± 10.7 years old. Duration of AN was 9.5 ± 9 years, 173 (48.9%) patients had a restricting AN subtype. BMI at admission was 12.2 ± 1.6 kg/m2, 280 (79.3%) patients had already been hospitalized for AN in other hospitals before. Psychiatric comorbidities were present in 168 (47.5%) patients. Associated somatic comorbidities concerned 70 (19.8%) patients. Outcomes during hospitalization were marked by 4.1 ± 3.9 kg weight gain on 36.9 ± 30.5 days. Enteral nutrition was provided in 304 (85.9%) patients. Main medical complications during hospitalization were: anemia (79%), neutropenia (53.9%), hypertransaminasemia (53.7%), osteoporosis (46.3%), hypokalemia (39.5%), hypophosphatemia (26%), hypoglycemia (13.8%), infectious complications (24.3%), cardiac dysfunction (7.1%), and proven gelatinous bone marrow transformation (6.5%). Hypokalemia was more frequent in binging-purging subtype. Lympho-neutropenia and hypertransaminasemia were more frequent in restricting subtype. During their hospitalization, 35 (10%) patients were referred to medical intensive care unit and 5 patients died. CONCLUSIONS AN patients hospitalized for severe malnutrition in a specialized clinical nutrition unit have severe and frequent medical complications. Psychiatric comorbidities are also frequent and could complicate medical care. A specialized and multidisciplinary management of these patients is therefore essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Guinhut
- Clinical Nutrition Unit, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; Paris-Descartes University, Paris, France.
| | - Jean-Claude Melchior
- Clinical Nutrition Unit, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; Paris-Saclay University, France
| | - Nathalie Godart
- Fondation de Santé des Etudiants de France, Paris, France; CESP, INSERM, UMR 1018, UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, Paris, France
| | - Mouna Hanachi
- Clinical Nutrition Unit, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, Garches, France; Paris-Saclay University, France
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Liu W, Zhan S, Li D, Lin Z, Zhang C, Wang T, Pan S, Zhang J, Cao C, Jin H, Li Y, Sun B. Deep brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens for treatment-refractory anorexia nervosa: A long-term follow-up study. Brain Stimul 2020; 13:643-649. [PMID: 32289691 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given that anorexia nervosa (AN) is a life-threatening mental disorder and has poor clinical outcomes, novel effective treatments are warranted, especially for severe and persistent cases. OBJECTIVE To investigate the safety, feasibility, and clinical outcomes of using deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) in treatment-refractory AN patients. METHODS A total of 28 women with refractory AN underwent NAcc-DBS and completed this 2-year follow-up study. The clinical outcomes, including body mass index (BMI) and mood, anxiety, and obsessive symptoms, were assessed using a series of psychiatric scales at 6 and 24 months post operation. RESULTS While no fatalities were reported during this study, 1 patient showed device rejection. The most common short-term side effect observed was varying degrees of pain at the incision sites (n = 22), which usually disappeared 3-4 days following the operation. No severe surgical adverse events were observed. Compared to presurgical levels, significant increases in BMI and improvement in psychiatric scale scores were noted during the 6-month follow-up and were maintained at the 2-year review. Finally, a post-hoc analysis revealed that the NAcc-DBS was less effective for weight restoration in patients with the binge-eating/purge subtype of AN than in those with the restricting subtype (R-AN). CONCLUSION Our long-term follow-up study suggests that NAcc-DBS is safe and effective for improving the BMI and psychiatric symptoms of patients with refractory AN. Although NAcc-DBS appears to be more suitable for patients with R-AN, strict inclusion criteria must be applied considering surgery-related complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Shikun Zhan
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dianyou Li
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengyu Lin
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chencheng Zhang
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Sijian Pan
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunyan Cao
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haiyan Jin
- Department of Psychiatry, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongchao Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai YangPu District Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Bomin Sun
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Dunn TM, Hawkins N, Gagliano S, Stoddard K. Individuals who self-identify as having "orthorexia nervosa" score in the clinical range on the Eating Attitudes Test-26. Eat Weight Disord 2019; 24:1025-1030. [PMID: 30756311 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-019-00651-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE In recent years, there has been growing interest in pathologically healthful eating, often called orthorexia nervosa (ON). Much of the literature in this area has been about point prevalence of ON in particular populations, which range from less than 1% to nearly 90% depending on the study. Despite this interest, there has been no extensive examination of whether those with pathologically healthful eating are detected by screening instruments that identify disordered eating. This study examines whether individuals who self-report suffering from ON score in the clinical range on the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26). METHOD Individuals (n = 354) sampled from both clinical and non-clinical settings were administered the EAT-26 to determine whether those who self-identify as having ON scored in a range that suggests disordered eating. RESULTS Participants who self-report suffering from ON had a mean EAT-26 score of 30.89 (SD 12.60) scoring in a range that urges individuals to seek additional advice on whether there is an eating disorder present (scores of 20 and higher fall in a range suggesting a possible eating disorder). Furthermore, those in the ON group scored no differently than those reporting other eating disorders, but significantly higher than a non-clinical control group. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that a screening instrument for a possible eating disorder is sensitive to pathologically healthful eating (but has no specificity). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III, case control analytic study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Dunn
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Campus Box 94, Greeley, CO, USA. .,Behavioral Health Service, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA.
| | | | - Stacey Gagliano
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Campus Box 94, Greeley, CO, USA
| | - Kristen Stoddard
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Campus Box 94, Greeley, CO, USA
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The use of enteral nutrition in the treatment of eating disorders: a systematic review. Eat Weight Disord 2019; 24:179-198. [PMID: 30196528 DOI: 10.1007/s40519-018-0572-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Enteral nutrition (EN) is frequently used in the treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN), and less commonly, bulimia nervosa (BN); yet, no standardized guidelines for treatment exist at this time. The aim of this review is to investigate the efficacy of EN in the treatment of eating disorders and make recommendations for clinical practice and future research. METHODS An exhaustive literature search of 7 databases was completed. The search strategy combined key terms anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and eating disorders with terms associated with EN. There were no restrictions on publication date or language. Studies that assessed the effect of EN on weight restoration, refeeding syndrome, and binge/purge behaviors in the treatment of AN and BN were included. RESULTS Of 73 full-text articles reviewed, 22 met inclusion criteria. Nineteen studies reported that significant short-term weight gain was achieved when EN was used for refeeding malnourished AN patients; however, results varied for the six studies reporting on long-term weight gain, maintenance, and recovery. In studies with a comparator, no significant differences were found between the EN and oral refeeding cohorts regarding gastrointestinal disturbance, refeeding syndrome, or electrolyte abnormalities. Five studies examined the effect of EN on binge/purge behaviors, suggesting that temporary exclusive EN decreases the frequency and severity of binge/purge episodes. CONCLUSION Although EN is an essential life-saving treatment in severe cases of AN, it does not guarantee long-term success or recovery. The results of this systematic review highlight the need for prospective controlled trials with adequate sample sizes to make comparisons between specific feeding methods, formulations, and defined short and long-term outcomes. Evidence-based standards for clinical practice are needed with specific guidelines for best results for AN and BN treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE I, systematic review.
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