Acute Liver Damage and Anorexia Nervosa: A Case Report
and Review of the Literature
Lionel Bridet, Juan Jose Beitia Martin, Jose Luis Cabriada Nuno
Citation Information :
Bridet L, Jose Beitia Martin J, Luis Cabriada Nuno J. Acute Liver Damage and Anorexia Nervosa: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 2012; 2 (2):104-106.
We treated a patient suffering from severe anorexia nervosa
[body mass index (BMI), 10.5 kg/m²] complicated with hepatic
insufficiency. The treatment consisted of rehydration and the
correction of her malnutrition, using adapted protocols to avoid
the development of the refeeding syndrome. In view of her
successful progress she was discharged from the hospital on
day 50. Although we do not perform a hepatic biopsy, the
mechanism seems to be related to autophagy more than
hypoperfusion because of the extremely low BMI. This
observation also highlights the need of following a multidisciplinary
approach in these difficult cases (BMI < 13 kg/m²),
involving intensive care unit doctors, gastroenterologists,
endocrinologists and psychiatrists.
Abbreviations: BMI: Body mass index; AST: Aspartate
aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; CT:
Computed tomography.
