Bone Marrow Changes in Adolescent Girls With Anorexia Nervosa
Author Information
Author(s): Ecklund Kirsten, Vajapeyam Sridhar, Feldman Henry A, Buzney Catherine D, Mulkern Robert V, Kleinman Paul K, Rosen Clifford J, Gordon Catherine M
Primary Institution: Children's Hospital Boston
Hypothesis
Adolescents with anorexia nervosa exhibit premature conversion of red to yellow bone marrow.
Conclusion
Adolescents with anorexia nervosa show significant changes in bone marrow composition, indicating a shift from hematopoietic to fatty marrow.
Supporting Evidence
- Adolescents with anorexia nervosa had lower metaphyseal red marrow scores compared to controls.
- Visual assessments indicated a nearly twofold difference in red marrow content between the two groups.
- Relaxometry data showed significant differences in T1 values between anorexic and control subjects.
Takeaway
Girls with anorexia nervosa have more fat in their bones than healthy girls, which can make their bones weaker.
Methodology
MRI was used to assess bone marrow composition in 20 adolescents with anorexia nervosa and 20 healthy controls.
Limitations
The sample size was small, and the study did not include bone density or hormonal data.
Participant Demographics
Female adolescents aged 13 to 18 years, with a BMI range for anorexic participants from 14.4 to 20.5 kg/m2 and for controls from 18.8 to 25.5 kg/m2.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = .03 for femur, p = .08 for tibia
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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