Kwashiorkor: an unexpected complication to anorexia nervosa

BMJ Case Rep. 2016 Nov 15:2016:bcr2016215638. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2016-215638.

Abstract

We present the case of a woman aged 48 years, diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN) at the age of 12. She was admitted to a highly specialised eating disorder facility with distended abdomen, muscular atrophy, ulcerative dermatitis, electrolyte derangements and low serum albumin. Her weight was 53.1 kg, corresponding to a body mass index (BMI) of 17.9 kg/m2 After initial stabilisation, a therapeutic ascites puncture relieved the patient from 6500 mL of ascites. After 6 weeks of nutritional and diuretic treatment, the patient was discharged with a weight of 46.8 kg (BMI 15.7 kg/m2), without ascites and with healed ulcerations. The condition was consistent with kwashiorkor, a complication to malnutrition rarely seen in AN.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anorexia Nervosa / complications*
  • Ascites / diagnosis
  • Ascites / etiology
  • Body Mass Index*
  • Body Weight*
  • Female
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Kwashiorkor / diagnosis
  • Kwashiorkor / etiology*
  • Kwashiorkor / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Skin Ulcer / diagnosis
  • Skin Ulcer / etiology
  • Thinness / diagnosis
  • Thinness / etiology*