Osteoporosis in Chinese patients with anorexia nervosa

OBJECTIVE: A case-control study was conducted to determine whether bone mass is reduced in Chinese patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and to study the risk factors for low bone mass in the same population. METHOD: Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and hip was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 42 AN patients and 221 controls. RESULTS: Patients with AN had a significantly lower BMD in the total hip and spine compared with controls (p <.001). In AN patients, linear regression showed that lowest body mass index (BMI) was positively associated with BMD in the hip (p = .04) whereas duration of illness was negatively associated with BMD in the hip (p = .05). DISCUSSION: Chinese patients with AN are at risk of low BMD. Duration of illness and lowest BMI were significant predictors of reduced BMD in Chinese patients with AN.