Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a widespread, metabo-psychiatric disorder with high relapse rates, comorbidity, and mortality. Many regulatory proteins and neurohormones studied to date play essential roles in the etiopathogenesis of eating disorders and the maintenance of psychopathological symptoms. Nevertheless, the regulatory and pathophysiological mechanisms of AN are still poorly understood. In the presented study, the plasma levels of apelin-13 (APE-13) and asprosin (ASP), as well as carbohydrate metabolism parameters and psychometric parameters, were evaluated in low-weight adolescent female patients with AN (AN1), after partial weight normalization (AN2) and in an age-matched healthy control group (CG) were evaluated. APE-13 levels were higher in the AN1 group than in the post-realimentation and the CG group. APE-13 levels were independent of insulin and glucose levels. Plasma ASP levels increased with increasing body weight in patients with AN, correlating with the severity of eating disorder symptoms in emaciation. The presented data suggest that APE-13 and ASP may be AN’s biomarkers-regulation of eating behavior by APE-13 and ASP, the close relationship between them and emotional behavior, and changes in neurohormone levels in patients with eating and affective disorders seem to support these hypotheses. Moreover, their plasma levels seem to be related to the severity of psychopathological symptoms of eating disorders.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psycho-metabolic disorder with a high risk of somatic complications such as refeeding syndrome (RFS) and carries the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric illnesses. To date, the consensus on the care for patients with AN has been based on recommendations for a combination of alimentation and psychotherapy. It is important to establish an initial caloric intake that will provide weight gain and minimize the risk of complications in the treatment of undernourished patients. Research over the past few years suggests that current treatment recommendations may be too stringent and should be updated. The aim of this paper is to systematize the current reports on nutritional rehabilitation in AN, to present the results of studies on the safe supplementation of patients and its potential impact on improving prognosis and the healing process. This review of literature, from 2011–2021, describes the changing trend in the nutritional protocols used and the research on their efficacy, safety, and long-term effects. In addition, it presents previous reports on the potential benefits of introducing vitamin, pro-and prebiotic and fatty acid supplementation.

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate cognitive function and laboratory parameters in adolescent girls with anorexia nervosa (AN) before and after nutritional rehabilitation (NR) compared to healthy female peers (CG). Methods: We evaluated 36 girls with AN at two-time points, during acute malnutrition (AN1) and after NR, in a partially normalized weight status (AN2). We compared their cognitive functions and laboratory parameters to 48 healthy CG subjects. Cognitive function was assessed using a Cognitive Assessment Battery (CAB) assessment, depressive symptom levels were assessed using a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) assessment, and eating disorders were assessed using an Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26). Results: The AN1 group scored better in total cognition, attention, estimation, and spatial perception than the CG group (p < 0.05), with scores increasing in the AN2 group. Shifting and visual perception values did not differ between the study groups (p = 0.677, p = 0.506, respectively). Laboratory tests showed no significant abnormalities and did not differ significantly between groups (p > 0.05). There was a negative correlation for EAT-26 and CAB in the AN1 group (rho = −0.43, p = 0.01), but not for BDI. Conclusions: Cognitive function in adolescent girls with AN was better than CG and correlated with EAT-26 score. These results highlight the high compensatory capacity of the adolescent body to maintain cognitive function despite severe malnutrition. Our results suggest that although normalization of body weight is crucial, other factors can significantly influence improvements in cognitive function. Cognitive deficits and laboratory tests may not be biomarkers of early forms of AN.

Eating disorders (ED) constitute the third most common group of chronic diseases among people aged 14-19 years after asthma and obesity, and one of their forms is binge eating disorder (BED). The purpose of the present review was to summarize new research findings on BED and overview the epidemiology, characteristics, criteria, etiopathogenesis, and treatment. Etiopathogenesis of BED is still poorly understood, and the current state of knowledge leads to the conclusion that the pathomechanism of the development and persistence of the symptoms of that disorder is very complicated - factors influencing these symptoms have a genetic, neurobiological, biochemical, cognitive, and emotional background. Treatment targeted at selected pathogenetic mechanisms - i.a., disturbance in the corticostriatal circuit, neurohormonal dysregulation or incorrect regulation of emotions - may be of help for people with binge eating disorder. Often comorbid mental, e.g., mood, anxiety and personality disorders, psychoactive substance abuse, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, and somatic problems are particularly crucial in the context of primary care physicians and psychiatrists work and should encourage the expanding knowledge about BED and the creation of inter-disciplinary therapeutic teams.

Sleep problems are one of the key, but insufficiently addressed, health issues in children and adolescents. 40-50 % of youth are thought to be impacted by them. This review examines the connections between sleep disorders (SD) and mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, ADHD, and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, night eating disorder, and aversive-restrictive food intake disorder, revealing the interrelationships between these phenomena. Various SDs, such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, circadian rhythm disorders, and chronotype, are investigated. SD can be correlated with and caused by the development of mental health disorders, as well as be a direct consequence or exacerbating factor. During adolescence, sleep disruption exacerbates heterogeneously the susceptibility to disordered mental health. It hinders its treatment, leading to chronic symptoms and a significant deterioration in quality of life, creating a vicious cycle. We explore and attempt to integrate the neurobiological pathophysiology of disorders and their connections to sociobehavioral concepts of psychopathology in this article. This comprehensive review provides an overview of the most recent findings on SD, with emphasis on how they affect mental health in childhood and adolescence. Additionally, it highlights the use of pharmacological and behavioral approaches to the treatment of insomnia, with and without comorbidities. The study aims to encourage clinicians to broaden their awareness of the interdisciplinary nature of sleep and mental health, which is essential to the care of young patients.

BACKGROUND: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is seen in almost 30% of cases of cancer among children. Drop in absolute neutrophil count (ANC) and immunosuppression during chemotherapy are causing the significant increase in the risk of other complications, which can lead to prolonged hospitalization, higher costs of therapy and increased mortality.METHODS: The analysis concerned 78 patients treated for ALL at the Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantology. The indications for the use of immunoglobulins, the regimen of administration, the dose and adverse reactions were analyzed.RESULTS: Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) were used in 66 (85%) of 78 patients. The standard risk group (SR) was represented by 10 (15%) patients, intermediate (IR) -29 (44%), and high (HR) -27 (41%). The most common were 1 and 2-day administrations -60% and 28%, respectively, of transfusions. The spread of the IVIG doses used ranged from 43 mg to 882 mg/kg body weight. In the SR and IR groups, preparations were transfused at the reinduction stage, while in the HR-consolidation. Among the indications for IVIG, the most common was hypogammaglobulinemia-117 (42%), neutropenia-69 (25%) and infection-62 (22%). During the implementation of 279 patterns of immunoglobulin preparations, 8 (3%) post-transfusion reactions were registered.CONCLUSIONS: The vast majority of ALL patients required immunoglobulin substitution during polychemotherapy. The supply of preparations is safe, however, there are no unambiguous guidelines regarding their dosage.