“Case series: ischemic stroke associated with dehydration and arteriosclerosis in individuals with severe anorexia nervosa”

Abstract

Background: Numerous reports have indicated that patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) are at a relatively high risk of developing vascular diseases, including cardiovascular events and venous thromboembolism. However, there have been no previous reports of the development of ischemic stroke during refeeding therapy in patients with severe AN. This report is aimed at reporting the characteristics of an ischemic stroke in patients with AN. Case presentations: Our study included 29 admissions by independent 19 female patients cases (19 patients), who received thorough medical, neurological, and psychiatric examinations. Two patients were diagnosed as having developed ischemic stroke; the first patient showed multiple infarctions in the brain, while the second showed symptomatic focal infarction. Our findings suggest that dehydration and arteriosclerosis, in association with severe malnutrition, could predispose to the development of ischemic stroke in patients with severe AN. Conclusions: Development of ischemic stroke in patients with AN might be overlooked. Watching out for neurological signs would help in early diagnosis of ischemic stroke in patients with AN during refeeding. Specific etiology could induce ischemic stroke in patients with AN even if they have no common risk factors of ischemia.