J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2013 Sep;52(5):365-371.

Medical Findings in Korean Women with Bulimia Nervosa

• Kang JK
• Kim YW
• Bae SB
• Kim YR

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Medical complications are common and often serious in patients with eating disorders, however, little is known about complications in patients with bulimia nervosa.
METHODS
We conducted a retrospectively investigation of clinical characteristics and hematologic, biochemical, hormonal, and bone density evaluations in 90 Korean women with bulimia nervosa together with 100 healthy Korean women of comparable ages.
RESULTS
In patients with bulimia nervosa, 20% were anemic, 3.3% were hypokalemic, 14.4% had increased alanine aminotransferase, 24.4% were lower in serum protein, 8.8% were hypercholesterolemia, and 77.8% were hyperamylasemia. Osteopenia at any one site was identified in 26.7% of patients and the lowest-ever body mass index was the main determinant of bone mineral density in patients with bulimia nervosa.
CONCLUSION
In this study, many features of medical findings reported in anorexia nervosa were found in bulimia nervosa, however, the findings in bulimia nervosa were milder form than in anorexia nervosa. Management of any physical abnormalities in bulimia nervosa should focus on correction of the eating disorder.

Keyword

Bulimia nervosa; Eating disorder; Medical complication; Bone mineral density; Korean

MeSH Terms

Alanine Transaminase
Anorexia Nervosa
Body Mass Index
Bone Density
Bone Diseases, Metabolic
Bulimia Nervosa*
Bulimia*
Feeding and Eating Disorders
Female
Humans
Hyperamylasemia
Hypercholesterolemia
Retrospective Studies
Alanine Transaminase

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