Electrocardiographic abnormalities in anorexia nervosa

✍ Scribed by Webb, John Graydon ;Birmingham, Carl Laird ;Macdonald, Ian Laidlaw

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 411 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/1098-108x(198811)7:6<785::aid-eat2260070608>3.0.co;2-2

✦ Synopsis

Electrocardiograms, biochemical parameters, and drug histories were reviewed in 37 patients with anorexia nervosa. Prolongation of the Q-T interval was identified in 24 %, sinus bradycardia in 4 I %, and low voltage in 1 I % of our study population. Hypocalcemia was identified in none of our patients, hypomagnesemia in one, and hypokalemia in nine. Hypokalemia was more frequent (67%) and marked in patients with Q-T prolongation than in those with normal Q-T intervals ( I I %).

Bulimic tendencies were more frequent in anorexics with Q-T prolongation and were associated with hypokalemia. Q-T prolongation when present was usually mild. One patient had documented ventricular fibrillation associated with hypokalemia and the longest Q-T interval encountered in our group (C-Q, = 0.54 seconds). Patients with severe anorexia nervosa should be screened for hypokalemia and Q-T prolongation, particularly if bulimic tendencies are present. Although Q-T prolongation associated with weight loss due to dieting, starvation, and gastroplasty i s not commonly associated with hypokalemia, such may not be the case with anorexia nervosa.