[Cardiac disorders in young women with anorexia nervosa].

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare heart abnormalities in young women with anorexia nervosa and in a control group of the same age and sex. Patients and method. We report a matched case-control study of 30 adolescents with anorexia nervosa and 30 healthy women of the same age with normal weight. An electrocardiogram and echocardiogram were done. Heart parameters were measured on the electrocardiographic tracings, and QT dispersion was defined as the difference between maximum QT and minimum QT in any of the 12 leads. Diameter, mass and left ventricular mass index were measured.

RESULTS: QT and corrected QT intervals were significantly greater in patients with anorexia nervosa than in the control group. QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion were significantly greater in anorexia nervosa than in the control group (QTd, 59.3 23.0 vs 38.4 8.0 ms; p = 0.000; QTcd, 56.5 24.2 vs. 40.3 21.8 ms; p = 0.011). Left ventricular mass was significantly lower in young women with anorexia nervosa. We found a significant relationship between body mass index and left ventricular mass index, and between the former and corrected QT dispersion.

CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with anorexia nervosa show significant cardiac disorders in comparison to healthy women of the same age. This finding may be a useful indicator of the risk of arrhythmia and sudden death in patients with anorexia nervosa.