Original scientific paper
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FERRITIN LEVELS AND INDICATORS OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA
Sara Galić
; University of Mostar, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Technology, Biskupa Čule bb, 88000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
*
Orjena Žaja
orcid.org/0000-0003-3987-8008
; University Hospital Split, Pediatric Department, Spinčićeva ulica 1, 21000, Split, Croatia; University Hospital Center, Pediatric Department & Center for Eating disorders, Sestre milosrdnice, Vinogradska cesta 29, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine, Gundulićeva ulica 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; University of Split, School of Medicine, Šoltanska ul. 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia
Ines Banjari
orcid.org/0000-0002-8680-5007
; University of Mostar, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Technology, Biskupa Čule bb, 88000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, Franje Kuhača 18, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a complex and potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by intense fear of weight gain and severe weight loss. This retrospective study included 58 patients treated at the Pediatric Department & Center for Eating Disorders, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center. The objective was to assess the concentration of ferritin in relation to indicators of nutritional status and clinical characteristics in children and adolescents with AN. Only 2% of patients were diagnosed with the bulimic-purgative AN (BP-AN), while 5% had Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS), not otherwise categorized as atypical AN (AAN). Approximately 46% presented with a combination of restrictive-type AN and EDNOS. The average percentage of body weight loss was 20.46%, with the maximum recorded weight loss of 23 kg. In contrast, one patient lost no weight. The duration of illness prior to the diagnosis was longer in patients with classic AN compared to those with AAN, although the rate of weight loss was higher in the AAN group. This study also explored ferritin as a potential biomarker in AN, aiming to contribute to a better understanding of its pathophysiology and to identify novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Keywords
Anorexia nervosa; ferritin; weight loss; nutritional status
Hrčak ID:
333478
URI
Publication date:
11.7.2025.
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