Evaluation of Metabolic Profiles of Patients with Anorexia Nervosa at Inpatient Admission, Short- and Long-Term Weight Regain—Descriptive and Pattern Analysis

Acute anorexia nervosa (AN) constitutes an extreme physiological state. We aimed to detect state related metabolic alterations during inpatient admission and upon short- and long-term weight regain. In addition, we tested the hypothesis that metabolite concentrations adapt to those of healthy controls (HC) after long-term weight regain. Thirty-five female adolescents with AN and 25 female HC were recruited. Based on a targeted approach 187 metabolite concentrations were detected at inpatient admission (T(0)), after short-term weight recovery (T(1); half of target-weight) and close to target weight (T(2)). Pattern hunter and time course analysis were performed. The highest number of significant differences in metabolite concentrations (N = 32) were observed between HC and T(1). According to the detected main pattern, metabolite concentrations at T(2) became more similar to those of HC. The course of single metabolite concentrations (e.g., glutamic acid) revealed different metabolic subtypes within the study sample. Patients with AN after short-term weight regain are in a greater “metabolic imbalance” than at starvation. After long-term weight regain, patients reach a metabolite profile similar to HC. Our results might be confounded by different metabolic subtypes of patients with AN.