Disease Characteristics and Psychiatric Comorbidities in Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa Hospitalized During COVID-19 Pandemic

• Published in: Frontiers in bioscience (Scholar edition) Vol. 14; no. 4; p. 28
• Main Authors: Girardi, Martina, Assalone, Chiara, Maines, Evelina, Genovese, Aldo, Naselli, Aldo, Nai Fovino, Laura, Soffiati, Massimo, Franceschi, Roberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore IMR Press 14.10.2022
• Subjects: Adolescent; adolescents; anorexia nervosa; Anorexia Nervosa - epidemiology; Anorexia Nervosa - psychology; Anorexia Nervosa - therapy; Child; Comorbidity; COVID-19 - epidemiology; covid-19 pandemic; Humans; Pandemics; Retrospective Studies; RNA, Viral; SARS-CoV-2; Weight Loss; anorexia nervosa; COVID-19 pandemic; adolescents
• ISSN: 1945-0516; 1945-0524
• DOI: 10.31083/j.fbs1404028

Since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in new diagnoses and pediatric hospital admission for anorexia nervosa (AN) or atypical AN in adolescents have been reported, suggesting an adverse effect of COVID-19 on youth mental health. We hypothesized possible differences in prevalence of hospitalization and/or disease severity, related to socio-economic status and/or ethnicity. Retrospectively, patients were divided into two subgroups and compared according to the date of first hospital admission: "pre SARS-COV2 era" group (n. 45, 8th March 2016-8th March 2020) and "SARS-COV2 era" group (n. 43, 9th March 2020-8th March 2022). During the two years of the SARS-COV2 era, we reported an increase in hospital admission incidence more than doubled respect to the "pre-SARS-COV2 era". The "SARS-COV2 era group" showed a more rapid weight loss ( = 0.005), a minor duration of weight loss from lifetime maximum to admission ( = 0.019) and needed most frequently treatments with intravenous fluids ( 0.0001), oral dietetic supplements ( 0.001) and enteral nutrition by nasogastric tube ( = 0.002). The same group presented higher prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities (63% 22%, 0.0001) and required most frequently treatments with psychotropic drugs (56% 24%, = 0.002). We found higher family socioeconomic status (SES) in our patients with AN in both the periods and we did not find a shift in social class distribution over time. Our study confirms a significant increase in incidence of hospitalization and of psychiatric comorbidity in the pediatric population with AN during the second year of COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of SES or ethnic background. Further studies are needed to understand potential mechanisms that during COVID-19 pandemic trigger eating disorder symptoms.