Abstract
Background: The authors investigated autonomic cardiac function in anorexia nervosa. Methods: Forty-eight patients, who in the present or past met the DSM-III-R criteria for anorexia nervosa, and 16 normal control subjects participated in a standardized analysis of heart rate variability during supine and standing postures. Results: Several heart rate variability parameters showed an inverse correlation to the present weight of the anorexic subjects. The values of the spectral power analyses were significantly ( p < .01) lower in patients ( n = 18) weighing less than 75% of ideal weight when compared to the results found in the control group; however, the heart rate variability parameters of anorexic subjects with restored weight ( n = 12) did not differ from those of the control subjects. Conclusions: The obtained results provide evidence for autonomic cardiac dysfunction in acutely ill anorexic patients. Further research is required to elucidate possible clinical consequences of these findings.
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