Unexpected increased ferritin concentration in patients with anorexia nervosa

High serum ferritin levels are associated with a reduced periodontium in women with anorexia nervosa

PURPOSE

Impaired oral health is a well-known complication in individuals with eating disorders, although this is difficult to identify by mental health professionals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between routine blood parameters and two oral health outcomes (dental erosion, reduced periodontium) in women with eating disorders.

METHODS

A face-to-face interview and a clinical oral examination were carried out in a cohort of 70 women from an addiction and psychiatry hospital unit. Biochemical and hematological parameters were collected in medical records at admission. Biological factors associated with a generalized reduced periodontium (≥ 30% of sites with clinical attachment loss ≥ 3 mm) and dental erosion [a basic erosive wear examination (BEWE) score ≥ 3] were determined by logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Forty-five women with either anorexia nervosa (n = 27) or bulimia nervosa (n = 18) were included in the study. None of the women had active periodontitis or other inflammatory comorbidity. Women with ≥ 30% of sites with clinical attachment loss ≥ 3 mm and those with a BEWE score ≥ 3 were older than women that did not exhibit a generalized reduced periodontium or dental erosion (37.1 ± 10.4 versus 28.8 ± 7.4, p < 0.01 and 35.2 ± 9.7 versus 28.1 ± 7.8, p = 0.01), respectively. After adjustments for age and duration of eating disorder, high serum ferritin levels were associated with a generalized reduced periodontium [OR (95%CI) = 1.04 (1.01; 1.07)]. No association was found between biological factors and dental erosion.

CONCLUSION

Serum ferritin levels together with age may be helpful to mental health professionals in screening patients with eating disorders for adequate referral to a dentist.

LEVEL III

Evidence obtained from a case-control analytic study.

OUTPATIENT ANALYTIC ASSESSMENT OF ANOREXIA NERVOSA - THE IMPORTANCE OF VENOUS BLOOD GASES

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate serum biochemical parameters' evolution, especially venous blood gas (VBG), in anorexia nervosa (AN), correlating with clinical parameters.

METHODS

Retrospective study including out-patient AN adolescents, between January 2014 and May 2017. Three evaluations were compared: t1) first consultation; t2) consultation with the lowest body mass index (BMI) z-score and t3) with the highest BMI z-score.

RESULTS

A total of 24 adolescents (87.5% females) were included, mean age of presentation of 14.9±1.7 years, onset of symptoms 6.4±3.2 months before the first visit. In t1, BMI z-score of -1.91±1.11 kg/m2 and ideal weight % of 84.3±9.2. Amenorrhea was present in 88%. In t2 the analytical alterations were: altered VBG in 100%, altered ferritin (72% elevated), altered thyroid function (53% with thyroxine decrease), dyslipidemia (31% elevation of high density lipoprotein, 25% hypercholesterolemia), elevation of urea (25%), elevation of alanine aminotransferase (14%), hypoglycemia (14%), anemia (9%). Respiratory acidosis was present in 91% in t1, 100% in t2 and 94% in t3. There was a significant decrease between t2 and t3 in mean pCO2 (57.2 versus 53.6 mmHg; p=0.009) and mean HCO3 (30.0 versus 28.8 mEq/L; p=0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

Respiratory acidosis and increased ferritin were common in this group. Respiratory acidosis was the most frequent abnormality with significant pCO2 and HCO3 variation in the recovery phase. VBG should be considered in AN evaluation, once it seems to be important in assessing the severity of the disease and its subsequent follow-up.

Increased ferritin levels in patients with anorexia nervosa: impact of weight gain

PURPOSE

A few recent studies have found elevated ferritin levels in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), indicating ferritin as a potential biomarker of disease severity. The purpose of this study was to study how body mass index (BMI) and changes in BMI affect plasma ferritin concentrations in Swedish patients with eating disorders.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a retrospective computer search from 2009 to 2014, 662 patients with an eating disorder were identified from more than 200,000 individuals with electronic medical records. Three hundred and eighty-nine patients (374 females and 15 males) were found to have at least one p-ferritin value with a corresponding BMI value. Patients with AN were compared to a combined group consisting of patients with bulimia nervosa (BN) and patients with an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS).

RESULTS

Patients with AN had lower BMI compared to the combined group of patients with other eating disorders (BMI = 16.5 ± 1.5, n = 77 vs. 21.0 ± 4.7, n = 312, p < 0.001). Patients with AN also had higher plasma ferritin levels (median 42 μg/L (range 3.3-310) vs. 31 μg/L (range 2.8-280); p < 0.001). As BMI increased in patients with AN, ferritin levels decreased (from a median of 40 μg/L (7-400) to 26 (4-170), n = 47; p < 0.001).

DISCUSSION

Measuring ferritin in patients with AN could be valuable in monitoring improvements of nutritional status, but the full clinical value of following ferritin in individual patients has yet to be determined. The study also shows how research can benefit from electronically captured clinical data using electronic health records.