The physical complications of anorexia nervosa are common and can be life threatening, but psychiatrists and the increasing number of non-medical therapists involved in treatment programmes often overlook these complications. Cardiovascular complications are the most common, and the most likely to result in fatalities, particularly in those patients who vomit, purge or abuse diuretics, because of the electrolyte abnormalities induced. Osteoporosis is an early and perhaps irreversible consequence of severe weight loss. Further, there are dangers in rapid intravenous hyperalimentation.

No abstract

As part of a larger prognostic study of anorexia nervosa, clinical features at presentation of 24 males with anorexia are described, and compared with a female group matched for date of admission. Data were extracted from the original case records and follow‐up interview. The study confirms the view that males display the classical syndrome of anorexia nervosa, but differs from previous studies in several respects. Age at onset (mean 18.6 years) and at presentation (mean 20.2 years) is later, with a mean duration of illness at presentation of only 1.6 years. A premorbid tendency to obesity is confirmed; maximum weight loss during the illness amounted to 42% matched population mean weight (MPMW), and weight at presentation was 78.5% MPMW, somewhat higher than the female group. In keeping with earlier studies, hinging and vomiting were noted commonly, in around half of sufferers, but laxative abuse was less frequent and excessive exercising more frequent in males. Depressive and obsessional symptoms are common in both groups, and a strong family history of affective disorders and alcohol abuse was noted in over one third.© 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.