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. 2024 Jun 5;12(1):72.
doi: 10.1186/s40337-024-01024-w.

Determinants and risk factors for renal damage: where do patients hospitalized for severe anorexia nervosa stand? A multi-center study

Chantal Stheneur  1   2   3 , Corinne Blanchet  4   5 , Lama Mattar  6 , Marika Dicembre  7 , Kayigan Wilson  8 ; EVHAN Group; Sylvie Berthoz  9   10 , Mouna Hanachi  7   11 , Nathalie Godart  8   4   12
Collaborators, Affiliations

Determinants and risk factors for renal damage: where do patients hospitalized for severe anorexia nervosa stand? A multi-center study

Chantal Stheneur et al. J Eat Disord. .

Abstract

Background: Although renal damage is increasingly reported among the most undernourished patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), it remains underestimated in current practice, and often associated with acute dehydration. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the frequency, the extent, and the risk factors of renal involvement among adolescents and adults hospitalized in specialized units for AN.

Methods: In this multi-center study, 197 consecutive participants were included, aged 13-65, from 11 inpatient eating disorder psychiatric units. Information on the course of AN, clinical characteristics, biological data, and medication were collected.

Results: At admission, mean BMI was 13.1 (± 1.6) kg/m2 for a mean age of 20.74 (± 6.5) years and the z-score was - 3.6 (± 1.33). Six participants (3.0%) had hyponatremia, four (2.0%) had hypokalemia, and nine (4.5%) had hypochloremia. The Blood Urea Nitrogen/Creatinine ratio was over 20 for 21 (10.6%) participants. The mean plasma creatinine was 65.22 (± 12.8) µmol/L, and the mean eGFR was 74.74 (± 18.9) ml/min. Thirty- five participants (17.8%) had an eGFR > 90 ml/min, 123 (62.4%) from 60 to 90 ml/min, 35 (17.8%) from 45 to 60 ml/min, and 4 (2%) under 45 ml/min. In multivariate analysis, only BMI on admission was a determinant of renal impairment. The lower the BMI the more severe was the renal impairment.

Conclusion: When eGFR is calculated, it highlights renal dysfunction found in severe AN requiring hospitalisation in specialized units. The severity of undernutrition is an independent associated factor. Kidney functionality tests using eGFR, in addition to creatinine alone, should be part of routine care for patients with AN to detect underlying renal dysfunction.

Keywords: Anorexia nervosa; Body mass index; Kidney functionality tests; Renal damage; Renal function.

Plain language summary

AN is a psychiatric illness with organic repercussions that are not always visible nor frequently investigated. Renal damage, if detected, is often attributed to dehydration, and is thought to be rapidly reversible. Assessment of its severity and evolution is therefore not systematic, even in eating disorder units specialised in the care of patients with AN. Our study explored the assessment of renal impairment among adolescents and adults hospitalized in psychiatric units using eGFR calculation. Our results showed that fewer than 18% of the patients hospitalized had normal renal function and that among the various criteria, only BMI on admission was related to the extent of this impairment. Assessment of renal function by eGFR calculation and not only by creatinine measures should be performed routinely in all situations requiring hospitalization in anorexia nervosa, regardless of the reason for hospitalization.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

None of the authors has declared a conflict of interest. The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Percentages for different stages of kidney disease assessed by eGFR among participants hospitalized for anorexia nervosa
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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