Psychoendocrinology of Remenorrhea in the Late Outcome of Anorexia nervosa

Abstract

Within a late follow-up of our former anorectic patients 38 consented to an endocrine checkup in addition to clinical and sociopsychologic assessments. Univariate comparisons of still or again amenorrheic patients (n = 22) versus remenorrheic patients (n = 16) showed many significances. However, some of these variables intercorrelated substantially. Therefore, we performed a stepwise discriminant analysis which yielded as the most differentiating variables 'subjective well-being' (24%), follow-up interval (16%), Frisch's 'fat percentage within body weight' (12%) and 'sexual behavior' (5%). As the mean follow-up intervals were 10 versus 6 years, anorectic patients seem to need considerable time for remenorrhea, or rather for the psychosocial-sexual adaptation necessary for it. The equally necessary weight gain does not correlate with the follow-up interval. Then there is a factor which seems to be 'constitutional': Early onset of amenorrhea predicts late nonremenorrhea (3%).