Determinants of severe bradycardia in adolescents hospitalized for anorexia nervosa.

Severe bradycardia is an indication supporting hospitalization in adolescents with eating disorders. Some adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and significant weight loss present with a normal pulse rate at admission, whereas others have severe bradycardia, suggesting that total weight loss is not the most important determinant of bradycardia. The aims of this study were: to define the prevalence of severe bradycardia as the cause for hospital admission in adolescents with AN; to evaluate correlations between known determinants of severe bradycardia and pulse rate at admission; to evaluate the average time required to recover from severe bradycardia after re-feeding.