Ultrasonic tissue characterization of the myocardium in anorexia nervosa

Aim: To determine the systodiastolic variations in the integrated backscatter (IBS) signal of the myocardium in patients with anorexia nervosa. Methods: 25 young women (aged 22.4 ± 4.3 y) with overt anorexia nervosa, compared with 25 age‐matched thin and 25 age‐matched control women with body mass index >20 kg m−2, underwent either conventional two‐dimensional echocardiography or analysis of IBS cyclic variations. Results: Compared with thin and control subjects, anorectic patients showed reduced left ventricular mass (LVM: 82.9 ± 17.1 vs 119.9 ± 13.8 and vs 126.12 ± 16.4 g, p < 0.0001; LVM indexed 21.4 ± 3.3 vs 29.4 ± 2.5 and vs 31.2 ± 3.1 g m−2.7, p < 0.0001), and IBS cyclic variations (septum: –0.49 ± 2.18 vs 6.86 ± 1.3 and vs 6.61 ± 1.74 dB, p < 0.0001; posterior wall: 2.77 ± 2.12 vs 7.15 ± 2.12 and vs 7.48 ± 2.23 dB, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Anorexia nervosa is associated with a significant reduction in the cyclic variation in IBS, which is also related to left ventricular hypotrophy. Ultrasonic tissue characterization could give an objective approach for the detection of myocardial structural properties and represent a preclinical index of myocardial dysfunction in anorexia nervosa.