Quand et comment conduire une nutrition entérale au cours de l’anorexie mentale ?

Lifesaving treatment in patients with anorexia nervosa and compromised nutritional status is controversial. Enteral nutrition, via a nasogastric tube can be useful in this situation. The digestive tract can be used better than parenteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition can also be used in a situation with moderate malnutrition and stable body weight despite an adequate psychological treatment. In all cases, this treatment should be discussed and accepted with the patient. Polymeric standard solutions can be used, taking care of the level of protein which should not be too high. The start of enteral nutrition is progressive, in order to avoid the risk of Refeeding Syndrome. Vitamins and phosphorus should be added to the enteral nutrition during the first few days. Complications of treatment is not frequent with these patients and are presented. Enteral nutrition should be not too long and should be decreased in the same time that oral nutrition progressively increases. The results of literature show that, enteral nutrition does not deteriorate the psychological state of the patients and is found to be accepted more positively than forced feeding orally in the initial critical phases, and is less dangerous in terms of metabolic tolerance. For these reasons, enteral nutrition should be included in the armament of treatment of anorexia nervosa.