Refeeding In Anorexia Nervosa Research Articles

High-calorie refeeding in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: a narrative review.

Recent studies about refeeding in anorexia nervosa (AN) suggest starting with a high calorie diet. This narrative review aims to understand the initial refeeding management in hospitalized children and adolescents with AN and to develop a practical protocol. We performed a comprehensive database search in June 2023 for abstracts published between January 2010 and May 2023 in different databases: Pubmed, The Cochrane Library and Embase with the terms refeeding syndrome, energy intake, diet therapy, weight restoration, hypophosphatemia, nutritional rehabilitation, anorexia nervosa, restrictive eating disorders, child, adolescent and young adult. Fifteen papers were included in this review. Twelve studies were retrospective or observational. Only 3 randomized controlled trials were found. Initial energy intake varies within a wide range between 500 and 2800 kcal per day but generally begins with higher calories than current recommendations. Only hypophosphatemia was often described without clinical refeeding syndrome. Initial weight restoration was better with high calorie refeeding (HCR). Length of stay was shorter with HCR in some studies. Long term outcomes were unknown. Only two studied severely malnourished patients (< 70 % mBMI). In adolescents with AN and with a low risk of RS, high calorie refeeding is possible under close medical monitoring and with prompt electrolyte correction. Robust studies with a unified protocol are needed to confirm the safety of high calorie refeeding especially in severely malnourished adolescents with AN.

Clinical Outcomes of Refeeding Syndrome: A Systematic Review of High vs. Low-Calorie Diets for the Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents.

Over the years, the standard of care for re-alimentation of patients admitted for the treatment of anorexia nervosa (AN) has been a conservative or cautious approach described as "start low and go slow." These traditional refeeding protocols advocate for a low-calorie diet that restricts carbohydrates, with the primary goal of hypothetically lowering the risk of refeeding syndrome (RFS) and its complication. However, no consensus exists for the optimal inpatient approach to refeeding children and adolescents with AN. There is still some disagreement about what constitutes an ideal pace for nutritional rehabilitation. Varying treatment protocols have emerged across the globe, often reflecting the preferences and biases of individual practitioners and contributing to the lack of a universally accepted protocol for refeeding in AN. Although it is widely accepted that low-caloric refeeding (LCR) is safe for inpatient treatment of AN, this strategy has been shown to have several significant drawbacks, leading to increased criticism of the LCR method. Research from the last decade has led to calls for a more aggressive refeeding protocol, one that suggests a higher caloric intake from the offset. As a result, this research aimed to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature on strategies for refeeding hospitalized pediatric/adolescent patients with AN and related eating disorders. We aimed to compare high-caloric refeeding (HCR) and LCR in terms of weight gain, length of stay, and risk of RFS. We conducted a thorough search of medical databases for abstracts published in English, including Google Scholar, PubMed, and MEDLINE, to find relevant studies published between 2010 and February 2023. Our focus was on articles that evaluated high versus low refeeding protocols in children and adolescents hospitalized for treating AN and related eating disorders. Only articles that reported on at least one of the outcome variables of interest, such as hypophosphatemia, weight gain, RFS, or length of hospital stay, were considered. This review included 20 full-text articles published in the last decade on the HCR protocol in children and adolescents, with a total sample size of 2191 participants. In only one of the 20 studies did researchers find evidence of a true clinical case of RFS. We, therefore, found no evidence that HCR increased the risk of RFS in adolescents, even in those with a very low body mass index (BMI). However, evidence suggests a lower BMI at the time of hospital admission is a better predictor of hypophosphatemia than total caloric intake.In conclusion, based on the evidence from this review, a high-caloric diet or rapid refeeding in children/adolescents suffering from AN may be both safe and effective, with serial laboratory investigations and phosphate supplementation as needed. Hence, more research, particularly, randomized controlled trials, is required to help shape an evidence-based refeeding guidelineoutlining target calorie intakes and rates of advancement to assist clinicians in the treatment of adolescents with AN and related eating disorders.

Higher-Calorie Refeeding in Anorexia Nervosa: 1-Year Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Trial.

We recently reported the short-term results of this trial revealing that higher-calorie refeeding (HCR) restored medical stability earlier, with no increase in safety events and significant savings associated with shorter length of stay, in comparison with lower-calorie refeeding (LCR) in hospitalized adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Here, we report the 1-year outcomes, including rates of clinical remission and rehospitalizations. In this multicenter, randomized controlled trial, eligible patients admitted for medical instability to 2 tertiary care eating disorder programs were randomly assigned to HCR (2000 kcals per day, increasing by 200 kcals per day) or LCR (1400 kcals per day, increasing by 200 kcals every other day) within 24 hours of admission and followed-up at 10 days and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post discharge. Clinical remission at 12 months post discharge was defined as weight restoration (≥95% median BMI) plus psychological recovery. With generalized linear mixed effect models, we examined differences in clinical remission over time. Of 120 enrollees, 111 were included in modified intent-to-treat analyses, 60 received HCR, and 51 received LCR. Clinical remission rates changed over time in both groups, with no evidence of significant group differences (P = .42). Medical rehospitalization rates within 1-year post discharge (32.8% [19 of 58] vs 35.4% [17 of 48], P = .84), number of rehospitalizations (2.4 [SD: 2.2] vs 2.0 [SD: 1.6]; P = .52), and total number of days rehospitalized (6.0 [SD: 14.8] vs 5.1 [SD: 10.3] days; P = .81) did not differ by HCR versus LCR. The finding that clinical remission and medical rehospitalization did not differ over 1-year, in conjunction with the end-of-treatment outcomes, support the superior efficacy of HCR as compared with LCR.

14. One-Year Outcomes From a Multi-Center Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) of Refeeding in Anorexia Nervosa: The Study of Refeeding to Optimize Inpatient Gains (STRONG)

We recently reported the short-term results of this RCT, demonstrating that higher calorie refeeding (HCR) restored medical stability earlier with no increase in safety events, and significant savings associated with shorter length of stay as compared to lower calorie refeeding (LCR) in hospitalized adolescents and young adults with anorexia nervosa (AN). Here we report the one-year outcomes including rates of clinical remission, rehospitalization rate, number of readmissions, and total number of hospital days following the initial admission.

Refeeding in anorexia nervosa.

Refeeding in anorexia nervosa is a collaborative enterprise involving multidisciplinary care plans, but clinicians currently lack guidance, as treatment guidelines are based largely on clinical confidence rather than more robust evidence. It seems crucial to identify reproducible approaches to refeeding that simultaneously maximize weight recovery and minimize the associated risks, in addition to improving long-term weight and cognitive and behavioral recovery and reducing relapse rates. We discuss here various approaches to refeeding, including, among others, where, by which route, how rapidly patients are best refed, and ways of choosing between them, taking into account the precautions or the potential effects of medication or of psychological care, to define better care plans for use in clinical practice.Conclusion: The importance of early weight gain for long-term recovery has been demonstrated by several studies in both outpatient and inpatient setting. Recent studies have also provided evidence to support a switch in current care practices for refeeding from a conservative approach to higher calorie refeeding. Finally, the risks of undernutrition/"underfeeding syndrome" and a maintenance of weight suppression are now better identified. Greater caution should still be applied for more severely malnourished < 70% average body weight and/or chronically ill, adult patients. What is Known: • Refeeding is a central part of the treatment in AN and should be a multidisciplinary and collaborative enterprise, together with nutritional rehabilitation and psychological support, but there are no clear guidelines on the management of refeeding in clinical practice. • The risk of a refeeding syndrome is well known and well managed in severely malnourished patients ("conservative approaches"). What is New: • There is evidence that early weight restoration has an impact on outcome, justifying an aggressive approach to refeeding in the early stages of the illness. • The risks of "underfeeding syndrome" and of a maintenance of weight suppression are now better identified and there is sufficient evidence to support a switch in current care practices for refeeding from a conservative approach to higher calorie refeeding. Graphical abstract.

Vitamin D levels strongly influence bone mineral density and bone turnover markers during weight gain in female patients with anorexia nervosa.

The aim of the study was to investigate a potential role for vitamin D status on bone mineral density (BMD) during weight gain in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Spine and hip BMD assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), serum vitamin D (25-OH-D), N-propeptide of type I collagen (P1NP), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), and intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) were measured before and after a 20-week intensive weight-restoration program in ninety-one female patients with AN and secondary amenorrhoea. Ninety-one consecutive female patients (age 13-45 years; weight 39.4 ± 5.6 kg, body mass index [BMI] 15.1 ± 1.6 kgm-2 ) were included in the study. Although weight and BMI significantly increased in all patients during treatment, mean BMD only significantly increased at the spine (1.0% ± 3.6%, p = .009). The increase in spine BMD was significantly higher only above post-treatment 25-OH-D levels of 30 ngmL-1 (2.5% vs. 0.5%, respectively, for 25-OH-D ≥ and < 30 ngmL-1 , p = .026). There was a significant decrease in bone resorption (CTX; p = .043) and increased bone formation (P1NP; p < .001) after weight restoration. Nevertheless, a significant increase in PTH was also found, which was inversely correlated with decreased post-treatment 25-OH-D levels (R2 = .153, p < .001). Hypovitaminosis D may counteract the efficacy of refeeding in AN through increased bone resorption mediated by secondary hyperparathyroidism, which strongly supports the use of vitamin D supplements for bone health in AN.

Outcomes of an inpatient refeeding protocol in youth with Anorexia Nervosa and atypical Anorexia Nervosa at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

BackgroundHistorically, inpatient protocols have adopted relatively conservative approaches to refeeding in Anorexia Nervosa (AN) in order to reduce the risk of refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal constellation of symptoms. However, increasing evidence suggests that patients with AN can tolerate higher caloric prescriptions during treatment, which may result in prevention of initial weight loss, shorter hospital stays, and less exposure to the effects of severe malnutrition. Therefore the present study sought to examine the effectiveness of a more accelerated refeeding protocol in an inpatient AN and atypical AN sample.MethodsParticipants were youth (ages 10–22) with AN (n = 113) and atypical AN (n = 16) who were hospitalized for medical stabilization. A retrospective chart review was conducted to assess changes in calories, weight status (percentage of median BMI, %mBMI), and indicators of refeeding syndrome, specifically hypophosphatemia, during hospitalization. Weight was assessed again approximately 4 weeks after discharge.ResultsNo cases of refeeding syndrome were observed, though 47.3 % of participants evidenced hypophosphatemia during treatment. Phosphorous levels were monitored in all participants, and 77.5 % were prescribed supplemental phosphorous at the time of discharge. Higher rates of caloric changes were predictive of greater changes in %mBMI during hospitalization. Rates of caloric and weight change were not related to an increased likelihood of re-admission.ConclusionsResults suggest that a more accelerated approach to inpatient refeeding in youth with AN and atypical AN can be safely implemented and is not associated with refeeding syndrome, provided there is close monitoring and correction of electrolytes. These findings suggest that this approach has the potential to decrease length of stay and burden associated with inpatient hospitalization, while supporting continued progress after hospitalization.

Compulsory treatment in anorexia nervosa: A review

Compulsory in-patient refeeding of patients with severe anorexia nervosa (AN) has caused considerable controversy. The effects of such treatment on longer-term outcome are not well known. The objective of this article is to review the evidence on the outcome of compulsory treatment for AN. Three large databases were searched for studies regarding compulsory treatment in AN. Detained patients have more severe symptoms and comorbidity and a longer duration of inpatient stay. In the short term compulsory refeeding in AN appears to be beneficial, but the longer term effects remain uncertain. Clinicians report no worsening of the therapeutic relationship after compulsory treatment. In severe cases of AN where the patient refuses life-saving treatment compulsory treatment needs to be considered. Future research should focus on the longer term effects of compulsory treatment and also on questions related to mental capacity in AN.

Higher Calorie Diets Increase Rate of Weight Gain and Shorten Hospital Stay in Hospitalized Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa

Current recommendations for refeeding in anorexia nervosa (AN) are conservative, beginning around 1,200 calories to avoid refeeding syndrome. We previously showed poor weight gain and long hospital stay using this approach and hypothesized that a higher calorie approach would improve outcomes. Adolescents hospitalized for malnutrition due to AN were included in this quasi-experimental study comparing lower and higher calories during refeeding. Participants enrolled between 2002 and 2012; higher calories were prescribed starting around 2008. Daily prospective measures included weight, heart rate, temperature, hydration markers and serum phosphorus. Participants received formula only to replace refused food. Percent Median Body Mass Index (%MBMI) was calculated using 50th percentile body mass index for age and sex. Unpaired t-tests compared two groups split at 1,200 calories. Fifty-six adolescents with mean (±SEM) age 16.2 (±.3) years and admit %MBMI 79.2% (±1.5%) were hospitalized for 14.9 (±.9) days. The only significant difference between groups (N= 28 each) at baseline was starting calories (1,764 [±60] vs. 1,093 [±28], p < .001). Participants on higher calories had faster weight gain (.46 [±.04] vs. .26 [±.03] %MBMI/day, p < .001), greater daily calorie advances (122 [±8] vs. 98 [±6], p= .024), shorter hospital stay (11.9 [±1.0] vs. 17.6 [±1.2] days, p < .001), and a greater tendency to receive phosphate supplementation (12 vs. 8 participants, p= .273). Higher calorie diets produced faster weight gain in hospitalized adolescents with AN as compared with the currently recommended lower calorie diets. No cases of the refeeding syndrome were seen using phosphate supplementation. These findings lend further support to the move toward more aggressive refeeding in AN.

Hyperthyroidism during refeeding in anorexia nervosa

We report the second case of hyperthyroidism emerging during refeeding of a severely malnourished patient with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Available patient records and biochemical data were evaluated. Previous case reports of hyperthyroidism in eating disorders were reviewed. Refeeding can be associated with the onset of hyperthyroidism in patients with AN. AN and hyperthyroidism share a number of symptoms which can make identification of hyperthyroidism difficult. Lack of weight gain because of hyperthyroidism may be interpreted as noncompliance with refeeding treatment. The report shows that not taking antithyroid treatment can be employed as a method of weight control, highlighting the importance of extra consideration regarding treatment regimen and adequate support with medication compliance.

Complications of Emergency Refeeding in Anorexia Nervosa: Case series and review

The refeeding syndrome is common among patients with anorexia nervosa. It may be lethal and has many manifestations. We report a case series of 14 anorexic patients admitted for feeding to a single British centre. There was a high prevalence of the refeeding syndrome, with three cases requiring higher dependency unit support and one death. We present a review of the refeeding syndrome in anorectics and highlight our impression that infection among such patients may be serious and under-recognised.

Metabolic and psychological changes during refeeding in anorexia nervosa

This study aimed to examine resting metabolic rate (RMR) and psychological changes during refeeding in 10 women with anorexia nervosa participating in a partial hospitalization eating disorder program. Participants' admission RMRs, as assessed by the MedGem Analyzer, were below their RMRs predicted by the Harris- Benedict equation, t(1,9)=5.77, p<0.01. Correlational analyses revealed a trend toward smaller increases in RMR being associated with higher admission BMI (r=-0.49, p=0.08), but not with highest lifetime BMI. Over the course of treatment, RMR per pound of Fat-Free Mass (FFM) increased from the beginning to the middle, t(1,9)=-3.02, p<0.05, and to the end stage of treatment, t(1,9)=-2.53, p<0.05. Scores on the Eating Attitudes Test-26, Eating Disorder Inventory-2, Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), BSI Depression subscale, and Mizes Anorectic Cognitions scale significantly improved throughout treatment (all p<0.05); however, body dissatisfaction did not improve. Results suggest that weight restoration programs for anorexia nervosa cannot rely on FFM or standard formulas to predict caloric needs throughout refeeding, and that admission BMI is one factor to be considered in predicting caloric needs during refeeding. Furthermore, ways to improve body dissatisfaction during refeeding needs to be more of a treatment focus.

Changes in heart rate with refeeding in anorexia nervosa: A pilot study

Objective To find differences in heart rate before and after refeeding and to identify which parameters of autonomic activity and endocrine function are associated with these differences. Methods Before and after the start of refeeding, body weight, RR interval (RRI), heart rate variability, endocrine function, and energy expenditure were measured in nine female anorexia nervosa patients. Results After short-term refeeding, mean daytime heart rate rose from 54.9 to 69.4 bpm ( P<.05). The changes in sympathetic activity were correlated negatively with the changes in RRI ( r=−.933, P<.001). Urine C-peptide, IGF-1, and fT3 increased significantly, and norepinephrine tended to increase. Conclusion We demonstrated that autonomic nervous activity was relevant to changes in heart rate during refeeding, and it is speculated that the increases in insulin secretion, thyroid function, and IGF-1 were responsible for the mechanisms.

The agreement between the MedGem® indirect calorimeter and a standard indirect calorimeter in anorexia nervosa

Measurement of the basal metabolic rate (BMR) can be used to estimate the calories required for weight gain during refeeding in anorexia nervosa (AN). The reference method for measuring the BMR is indirect calorimetry. MedGem has developed a new indirect calorimeter that calculates the metabolic rate much more quickly than standard indirect calorimeters. This study compared the BMR measured by the MedGem and standard indirect calorimetry in an AN population. We measured the BMR using the Deltatrac metabolic cart followed immediately by the MedGem indirect calorimeter in 27 subjects (12 patients and 15 controls). Bland-Altman plots show that there is poor agreement between the BMR reported by the MedGem compared to the Deltatrac. Until better agreement with standard indirect calorimetry can be shown the MedGem should not be used for calorimetry in AN. Possible factors that may limit the MedGem's reliability include patient discomfort with the mouthpiece, use of a fixed RQ, and the short sampling period.

Hypomagnesemia during refeeding in anorexia nervosa

Magnesium deficiency can cause weakness, constipation, seizures and arrhythmias. We frequently observe hypomagnesemia during refeeding in AN. To determine the incidence and time of onset of hypomagnesemia during refeeding in anorexia nervosa (AN). Observational cohort study. University teaching hospital in Vancouver, Canada. Patients with AN (DSM-IV criteria) admitted for refeeding. All patients were admitted for supervised refeeding by meal support, in conjunction with our standard medical and psychological treatment. Serum magnesium was measured daily for 5 days and then 3 times a week. Fifty patients were admitted for an average of 24 days. Sixty percent (30/50) had low serum magnesium during their admission. Hypomagnesemia was present on admission in 16% but as late as the third week of refeeding in others. Serum magnesium should be measured on admission and rechecked weekly for the first 3 weeks of refeeding as a minimum.

Plasma cholesterol and endogenous cholesterol synthesis during refeeding in anorexia nervosa

Normal or high levels of cholesterol have been measured in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Given that cholesterol intake in AN is usually very low, the reasons for this anomaly are not clearly understood. We studied lipid and lipoprotein profiles and endogenous cholesterol synthesis, estimated by serum lathosterol, in a population of 14 girls with AN, before and during a period of 30 days refeeding. The initial body mass index (BMI) of the patients was 13.41±1.62 kg/m 2. No changes were observed during refeeding in endocrine parameters (ACTH, cortisol and estradiol). At Day 0 the lipids data measured here showed normal levels of triglycerides, and total cholesterol at the upper limits of the normal range (5.44±1 mmol/l). At this time, total and LDL cholesterol were negatively correlated with transthyretin and BMI. Serum lathosterol (a precursor in cholesterol synthesis pathway) increased significantly (5.99±1.75 (Day 0) vs. 8.39±2.96 (Day 30); P=0.02) while there was a significant decrease in apo B (0.79±0.33 (Day 0) vs. 0.60±0.17 g/l (Day 30), P=0.02) with refeeding. Thus, patients with initial high cholesterol levels have the worst nutritional status and high cholesterol levels are not related to a de novo synthesis. This profile returns to normal with refeeding. An increase of cellular cholesterol uptake may be responsible for this apparently paradoxical evolution with increase of cholesterol synthesis and decrease of apo B during renutrition.

Changes in resting energy expenditure and body composition in anorexia nervosa patients during refeeding

Accurate prediction of the energy level necessary to promote weight restoration in patients with anorexia nervosa would be clinically useful. Resting energy expenditure (REE), respiratory quotient, and body composition were measured in 10 nonmedicated women with anorexia nervosa during a vigorous refeeding protocol. REE was measured three times per week by open-circuit indirect calorimetry after an overnight fast. Subjects ranged in age from 19 to 38 years and weighed 39.9 ± 4.3 kg (mean ± standard deviation) at admission. The refeeding protocol was as follows: phase 1, 1,200 kcal/day for 1 week (baseline); phase 2, an increase of 300 kcal/day for 1 week; phase 3, 3,600 kcal/day until target weight was reached; phase 4, 1,800 to 2,800 kcal/day (stabilization). REE was 30.0 ± 6.4, 33.5 ± 6.7, 37.3 ± 6.6 and 34.5 ± 4.4 kcal/kg body weight during phases 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The Harris-Benedict equation overestimated phase 1 24-hour REE by a mean of 14% and underestimated REE in phases 2, 3, and 4 by a mean of 8%, 24%, and 23%, respectively. Skinfold measurements revealed percent body fat to be 12 ± 4% at admission and 19 ± 5% at discharge, with a mean of 48% of the weight gained during refeeding attributable to increased body fat. These findings indicate that refeeding in anorexia nervosa is associated with increased REE, which cannot be explained by increased body mass, and that caloric requirements for weight restoration in patients with anorexia nervosa are best determined by monitoring individual response.