Determinants and risk factors for renal damage: where do patients hospitalized for severe anorexia nervosa stand? A multi-center study

Although renal damage is increasingly reported among the most undernourished patients with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), it remains underestimated in current practice, and often associated with acute dehydration. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the frequency, the extent, and the risk factors of renal involvement among adolescents and adults hospitalized in specialized units for AN. In this multi-center study, 197 consecutive participants were included, aged 13–65, from 11 inpatient eating disorder psychiatric units. Information on the course of AN, clinical characteristics, biological data, and medication were collected. At admission, mean BMI was 13.1 (± 1.6) kg/m2 for a mean age of 20.74 (± 6.5) years and the z-score was − 3.6 (± 1.33). Six participants (3.0