[Evaluation of bone mineral density in female adolescents with eating disorders].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in girls with eating disorders in the beginning of the treatment, at six months, and after one year of treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This prospective study involved 35 female adolescents with AN or EDNOS treated during one year. Lumbar (L1-L4) bone mineral density by DXA was performed in the beginning of treatment, at six months, and after one year of treatment. RESULTS There was improvement in weight, length, BMI, bone age (p < 0.001), and 70% of the adolescents with secondary amenorrhea had their menstrual cycles restored. However, the Z-score of lumbar BMD did not show differences during one year of follow-up (p = 0.76). CONCLUSION The recovery of BMD does not occur together with the restoration of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.