beta-carotene and Feeding-and-Eating-Disorders

In this case report, the authors describe a 48-year-old male who complained to his primary care physician of abdominal discomfort and yellow/orange skin discoloration. Physical examination was normal except for some mild mid-abdominal discomfort (no observed skin color changes). An abdominal CT scan indicated a colon that was full of stool. Laboratory studies indicated elevated liver enzymes. Upon further questioning, the patient reported ingesting 6-7 pounds of carrots per week to facilitate his dieting effort. The patient was diagnosed with constipation, hypercarotinemia, and possible vitamin A toxicity. Following the cessation of excessive carrot ingestion, his liver enzymes normalized within 1 month.

Topics: beta Carotene; Constipation; Daucus carota; Diet; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Humans; Hypervitaminosis A; Male; Middle Aged; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

To evaluate the interrater reliability of five common signs of eating disorders.. Eating disorder patients with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorders not otherwise specified (ED-NOS), at various stages of recovery, were evaluated for the presence or absence of lanugo hair, acrocyanosis, parotid hypertrophy, hypercarotinemia, and Russell's sign. Patients were examined by two physicians with similar experience and training. Results are analyzed for reliability using the kappa statistic.. Kappa scores were as follows, indicating marginal reproducibility of results: lanugo hair (kappa = 0.606), acrocyanosis (kappa = 0.014), parotid hypertrophy (kappa = 0.266), hypercarotinemia (kappa = 0.101) , and Russell's sign (kappa = 0.140).. The interrater reliability for individual items ranged from poor to moderate. Overall, there is marginal interrater reliability for the five common signs of eating disorders assessed.

Topics: Adult; beta Carotene; Cyanosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Female; Hair; Humans; Male; Observer Variation; Parotid Diseases; Physical Examination; Reproducibility of Results; Severity of Illness Index