Bone size and volumetric density in women with anorexia nervosa receiving estrogen replacement therapy and in women recovered from anorexia nervosa

Abstract

Anorexia nervosa is associated with bone loss during adulthood, but may also delay skeletal growth and mineral accrual during growth. We asked the following questions. 1) Is anorexia nervosa associated with reduced bone size and reduced volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD)? 2) Is estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) or recovery from anorexia nervosa associated with normal bone size and vBMD? Using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, we measured bone size and vBMD of the third lumbar vertebra and femoral neck in a cross-sectional study of 161 female patients: 77 with untreated anorexia nervosa, 58 with anorexia nervosa receiving ERT, 26 recovered from anorexia nervosa, and 205 healthy age-match..