Cardiovascular health in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa: echocardiographic abnormalities, biophysical properties of the aorta, and ventricular function during exercise.

Abstract

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a common disorder affecting the adolescent female population. In order to investigate the structure and function of the cardiovascular system in adolescents with AN, we performed case-control studies using echocardiography at rest to assess cardiac dimensions, systolic ventricular function, diastolic ventricular function, and vascular stiffness as well as echocardiography during exercise to investigate cardiac responses to hemodynamic stress. We found that female adolescents with AN have decreased left ventricular (LV) dimensions, LV wall thickness, LV mass, and abnormalities of diastolic ventricular function when compared to controls. Our patients demonstrated increased pulse wave velocity of the aorta, indicating increased aortic stiffness and potential increased future cardiovascular risk. During exercise, patients with AN demonstrated normal patterns of cardiovascular response with progressive exercise, although cardiac responses at peak exercise were decreased compared to controls. These findings demonstrate abnormalities in cardiac and vascular structure and function in adolescent females with AN.