International Journal of Eating Disorders · 2003 · 19 citations · 4 references
MedicineCardiologyInternal MedicineClinical CardiologyEating DisordersUltrasonographyAnorexia NervosaCardiovascular DiseaseCardiovascular ImagingCardiovascular PathologyCoronary Artery DiseaseIschemic Heart DiseaseAtherosclerosis RiskAtherosclerotic ProgressionCarotid Artery AtherosclerosisCarotid Artery UltrasoundCarotid Plaque MorphologyCoronary Artery Disease ImagingCoronary Vessel Wall ImagingSubclinical Atherosclerosis
BACKGROUND: Chest pain is a common complaint in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Of those who experience chest pain, about 20% meet the diagnostic criteria for typical or atypical angina. METHODS: We compared the intima-medial thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery measured by ultrasound in AN with controls and found no difference. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Although clinically relevant atherosclerosis can occur in patients with a normal IMT, there is a strong correlation between carotid IMT and coronary atherosclerosis. This suggests that an atherosclerotic origin of chest pain in AN patients is unlikely.
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