Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42224161›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2026

Eating disorder-related electrolyte abnormalities and adverse outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Deena Fremont, Amos Buh, Claire Hoar-Stephens, Nandini Biyani, Rohan Kiska, Stephen G Fung, Shaafi Mahbub, Muhammad Zameer, Nicholas Fabiano, Marco Solmi and 11 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Deena FremontOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8670-2813
Amos BuhOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0732-4193
Claire Hoar-StephensOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Nandini BiyaniOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Rohan KiskaOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Stephen G FungBruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Shaafi MahbubOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Muhammad ZameerOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Nicholas FabianoDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Marco SolmiOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Maya GibbOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Rachel KangOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Maria SalmanOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4653-0388
Kathryn LeeOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Benjamin MiloneOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4452-5267
Sarah SyedOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Shan DhaliwalOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Ayub AkbariOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Pierre A BrownOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Manish M SoodOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9146-2344
Gregory L HundemerOttawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe aim of this study is to describe the association between electrolyte abnormalities and adverse clinical outcomes, as well as to estimate the prevalence of these abnormalities in individuals with eating disorders.

designPreferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020-compliant systematic review searching Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases from January 2000 to February 2025 was conducted.

methodsWe included studies with any electrolyte abnormality or clinical adverse outcome among individuals with eating disorders. We conducted two meta-analyses to assess (1) the odds of having an electrolyte abnormality among those with an eating disorder diagnosis compared to healthy controls, and (2) the prevalence of electrolyte abnormalities across eating disorder diagnoses.

results20 studies incorporating 25,401 individuals were analysed, with most assessing a young female population. Study designs were predominantly retrospective cohort (n = 11) and cross-sectional (n = 5), with few including general population controls (n = 4). Anorexia nervosa was the most common eating disorder studied, with hypokalemia (n = 13 studies), hyponatremia (n = 11 studies), and hypophosphatemia (n = 7 studies) being the most frequently reported electrolyte abnormalities. The most prevalent adverse outcomes included anemia (n = 5 studies) and skeletal conditions (osteoporosis, osteopenia; n = 5 studies). The results from the meta-analyses showed (1) that individuals with eating disorders had significantly higher odds of experiencing electrolyte abnormalities compared to controls (OR = 3.20, 95% CI:1.48-6.94), and (2) varying pooled prevalences of abnormalities, including hypokalemia (15%), hyponatremia (13%), and hypophosphatemia (17%), across studies.

conclusionElectrolyte abnormalities are common among individuals with eating disorders and are associated with adverse health outcomes.

trial registrationThe study was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) - (ID CRD42023477497).

Indexed as

Feeding and Eating DisordersWater-Electrolyte ImbalanceAnorexia NervosaElectrolytesHumansHypokalemiaHyponatremiaHypophosphatemiaPrevalenceElectrolytes

Identifiers

PMID42224161
PMCPMC13225437

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.