engleski

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the frequency and severity of pediatric anorexia nervosa - the experience of a tertiary center

Introduction: A global pandemic of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared by WHO on 11th March 2020 and resulted in several lockdowns. A recent systematic review concluded that lockdowns were associated with worsening of eating disorders (ED). Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the number and characteristics of patients who presented with eating disorders, diagnosed according to DSM-V (Anorexia nervosa-AN ; Atypical anorexia nervosa-AAN and Other specific feeding and eating disorders-OSFED), prior and during the pandemic in our Center. Materials & Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 180 patients diagnosed with ED, 24 months prior to pandemic (January 2018 to December 2019), and during 24 months of the pandemic (November 2020 to October 2022). Results: Patients did not differ in age at diagnosis, duration of symptoms, percentage of hospitalizations, duration of hospitalization or mean body mass index. However, a noticeable trend towards increased number between the two periods was found for newly diagnosed ED patients (19.5%) and for patients with AAN developed after obesity. Aditionally, a higher percentage of patients was severely malnourished at diagnosis during the pandemic in comparison to prior (43.99% vs37.8%). Conclusion: Our results are in accordance with recents studies on COVID-19 pandemic impact on mental health. Furthermore, numerous patients with AAN emphasize the importance of recognizing the disorder before the metabolic consequences of starvation lead to serious, potentially life- threatening complications.

anorexia nervosa ; COVID-19 ; mental health

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