Intestinal Absorption and Pancreatic Function are Preserved in Anorexia Nervosa Patients in Both a Severely Malnourished State and After Recovery

Abstract

In this series, there was neither intestinal absorption nor pancreatic function disturbances in severely malnourished AN patients either before or after weight recovery. The usefulness of these tests in the differentiation of functional versus structural changes needs further studies.

Gastrointestinal complications associated with anorexia nervosa: A systematic review

“…This finding supports the clinical observation that sepsis is in fact an uncommon occurrence in patients with AN. This contrast between starvation because of AN, compared with other etiologies, suggests the presence of, as yet unidentified factors . Whereas impaired functionality has not been demonstrated, a controlled study (21 ANR; 15 AN‐BP; 20 controls) found that diamine oxidase, a marker for intestinal villi integrity and maturity, was significantly reduced in patients with ANR.…”

“…Low grade chronic injury is thought to explain the pseudocyst formation reported in two case reports and the elevation of elastase‐1 . A study that examined pancreatic function based on fecal elastase measurements in nine severely malnourished patients with AN (7 restrictors; 3 binge‐ purge), at the time of admission and then when weight restored, could find no evidence of pancreatic dysfunction through measurement of fecal elastase and digestion of 13 C‐labelled triglycerides . These studies report conflicting evidence as to the prevalence of baseline pancreatic dysfunction in the context of severe wasting because of AN, which might predispose the compromised pancreas to more severe injury if challenged by other factors.…”

Celiac Disease and Anorexia Nervosa: A Nationwide Study

“…Not even AN with severe underweight has demonstrated mucosal atrophy. 10,32 In addition, data on ethnicity and diet were lacking. The latter prevented us from studying whether strict adherence to a gluten-free diet mediated the association with AN.…”

Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in a Patient with Anorexia Nervosa with Profound Zinc and Iron Deficiency

“…3 Approximately 50% of patients with anorexia nervosa have evidence of zinc deficiency. 4 Zinc deficiency can lead to deficient immune response owing to its importance as a secondary messenger in lymphocytes and macrophages.…”