Hypokalemia in patients with anorexia nervosa during refeeding is associated with binge –purge behavior, lower body mass index, and hypoalbuminemia

ConclusionsLower body mass index, hypoalbuminemia, and binge –purge behavior might be used as indicators to guide clinical approaches for controlling serum potassium levels in patients with anorexia nervosa during refeeding.Plain English summaryHypokalemia, low levels of serum potassium, in patients with anorexia nervosa sometimes leads to life-threatening conditions. Thus, it is of great importance to predict the risk of hypokalemia in patients with anorexia nervosa during the refeeding period. Our study found that hypokalemia in patients with anorexia nervosa during refeeding is associated with a lower body mass index and hypoalbuminemia (low levels of serum albumin), in addition to binge –purge behavior.
Source: Journal of Eating Disorders - Category: Eating Disorders & Weight Management Source Type: research