Multiscale cardiovascular autonomic modulation following treatment in patients with Anorexia Nervosa

Eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa may be associated with changes in the cardiovascular system. Such changes have the potential to be identified using analysis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV). This study investigates multiscale HRV analysis in order to identify possible changes in the autonomic control of the cardiovascular system in subjects with anorexia nervosa. We investigated R-R intervals recorded during sitting position at admission and following a 6-week treatment program. HRV analysis included standard deviation and higher moments of R-R interval, as well as multiscale Renyi entropy. Analysis using multiscale measures may prove a useful diagnostic and prognostic tool in anorexia nervosa, particularly in clinical monitoring of patients with increased risk of cardiovascular complications and sudden death. Results showed statistically significant differences between controls and patients before intervention, suggesting changes to the cardiovascular autonomic function associated with eating disorders, which can be observed before treatment but not after. This can be observed in 20-minute recordings but not in 5-minute recordings.