Investigation of Psycho-Physiological Parameters in Adolescent Inpatients With Anorexia Nervosa

Adolescent Inpatients With Anorexia Nervosa: Changes in Heart Rate Variability, Body Warmth and Eating Disorder Features - a Prospective Controlled Study

A study to assess changes in mental and physical symptoms in adolescent inpatients with anorexia nervosa, a severe eating disorder.

This is a prospective controlled trial to assess changes in psycho-physiological parameters, including eating disorder features (drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction) and comorbid symptoms such as anxiety, depression and quality of life as well as heart rate variability, body warmth and BMI in adolescent inpatients with anorexia nervosa. Parameters were assessed at admission, six weeks after admission and three months thereafter and compared to reference values of healthy controls.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 11-18 years
• Restrictive subtype of adolescent AN
• Fulfilling the AN diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV and V)
• Admitted to the Filderklinik for inpatient treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients diagnosed with the binge-purge subtype of adolescent AN or with other eating disorders
• Healthy controls: BMI beyond the defined norm for their age group
• Healthy controls: acute or chronic disorders including psychiatric disorders, heart defects, cardiac arrhythmia, other disorders requiring medication