Anorexia Nervosa and the Kidney
Anorexia Nervosa and the Kidney
Anorexia nervosa is a common psychiatric disorder that disproportionately affects adolescents and young adults and is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Anorexia nervosa can affect the kidney in numerous ways, including increased rates of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, electrolyte abnormalities, and nephrolithiasis. Additionally, the diagnosis and treatment of anorexia nervosa–associated kidney diseases are challenging, reflecting complications such as refeeding syndrome, as well as the limitations of serum creatinine level in this population to estimate kidney function and the psychosocial challenges inherent with treating systemic manifestations of psychiatric conditions. In this review, we discuss kidney diseases and kidney-associated conditions that occur in individuals with anorexia nervosa, summarizing many of the challenges in treating patients with this disease.
Owing to the many medical complications that may result from excessive dieting, purging, overexercising, or the combination of these, anorexia nervosa (AN) can affect almost every organ system, resulting in potentially severe medical complications that not only may have immediate consequences, but also may have sequelae that can persist into the adult years. Notably, several studies have reported that up to half the patients with AN do not fully recover, resulting in 5%-10% mortality within 10 years of diagnosis, and up to 20% of individuals with AN may be chronically ill.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is a common psychiatric disorder that disproportionately affects adolescents and young adults and is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Anorexia nervosa can affect the kidney in numerous ways, including increased rates of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease, electrolyte abnormalities, and nephrolithiasis. Additionally, the diagnosis and treatment of anorexia nervosa–associated kidney diseases are challenging, reflecting complications such as refeeding syndrome, as well as the limitations of serum creatinine level in this population to estimate kidney function and the psychosocial challenges inherent with treating systemic manifestations of psychiatric conditions. In this review, we discuss kidney diseases and kidney-associated conditions that occur in individuals with anorexia nervosa, summarizing many of the challenges in treating patients with this disease.
Introduction
Owing to the many medical complications that may result from excessive dieting, purging, overexercising, or the combination of these, anorexia nervosa (AN) can affect almost every organ system, resulting in potentially severe medical complications that not only may have immediate consequences, but also may have sequelae that can persist into the adult years. Notably, several studies have reported that up to half the patients with AN do not fully recover, resulting in 5%-10% mortality within 10 years of diagnosis, and up to 20% of individuals with AN may be chronically ill.