The Diagnosis and Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa in Childhood and Adolescence.
Dtsch Arztebl Int
; 121(5): 164-174, 2024 Mar 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38170843
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious disease with a lifetime prevalence of up to 3.6% in women and 0.3% in men. Abnormally low weight and the associated starvation partly account for its somatic and mental manifestations.METHODS:
This review is based on publications retrieved by a selective search concerning AN in childhood and adolescence.RESULTS:
The peak age of onset of AN is 15.5 years. The frequency of inpatient treatment for AN rose by 40% during the COVID pandemic, indicating the importance of environmental factors; the heritability of AN is estimated at 0.5. The ICD-11 sets the threshold for AN-associated underweight at the fifth percentile for age of the body mass index, as long as the remaining diagnostic criteria are met. The main goal of the multiprofessional treatment of AN is the return to normal body weight, which is a central prerequisite for regaining somatic and mental health. The mean duration of AN is 3.4 years, and approximately twothirds of patients recover from the disease over the long term.CONCLUSION:
Marked weight loss in childhood and adolescence can trigger AN in the presence of a predisposition to this disease. Patients and their families should receive psychoeducation regarding the symptoms of starvation and their overlap with those of AN. Important objectives are to shorten the duration of the illness, minimize mortality and the risk of chronic illness, and to identify pharmacological approaches to treatment.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Anorexia Nervosa
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Dtsch Arztebl Int
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article