Abstract
Starvation and malnutrition are associated with an altered body composition. We studied the changes in body composition on refceding 10 girls with AN before and during 2 mons. of refeeding. Fat mass (FM) and fat free body mass (FFBH) were derived from skin-fold measurements, and total body potassium (TBK). TBK was measured by whole body counter. Extracellular water (ECW) was measured by oral bromide.
A gradual increase was noticed in wt, FM, FFBM and TBK over refeeding. However, ECW was expanded on admission and increased in all our patients on the first weeks of treatment, coming down to normal later on.
We concluded that refeeding is associated with abnormal expansion of the extracellular bed. Most of the changes in FFBM over the first weeks of refeeding can be acounted by the expanded ECW. This expansion is most probably due to abnormal fluid handling by the kidney. Fluid balance and fluid restrictions should be kept, to avoid fluid overload on refeeding.
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Vaisman, H., Rossi, M., Goldberg, E. et al. FLUID BALANCE ABNORMALITY ON REFEEDING PATIENTS WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA (AN). Pediatr Res 21 (Suppl 4), 177 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00068
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198704010-00068