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Abstract

Objective: Gut microbiota are linked to metabolic function, body weight regulation,
and brain and behavioral changes. Alteration of gut microbiota is repeatedly demon-
strated in adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) and transplantation of stool from adult
patients with AN reduces weight gain, food consumption and food efficiency in
germ-free mice. No similar data are available for adolescents, who might differ from
adults due to their shorter duration of illness.
Method: Nineteen female adolescent patients with AN at admission and after short-term
weight recovery were included in a longitudinal study and compared to 20 healthy controls
(HC). DNA was extracted from stool samples and subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing
and analysis. Group comparisons, indicator genera and simper analysis were applied. Taxon
abundances at admission was used to predict inpatient treatment duration.
Results: Alpha diversity is increased in patients with AN after short-term weight recov-
ery, while beta diversity shows clear group differences with HC before and after
weight gain. A reduction in Romboutsia and taxa belonging to Enterobacteriaceae at
both timepoints and an increase in taxa belonging to Lachnospiraceae at discharge are
most indicative of patients. Lachnospiraceae abundance at admission helped to predict
shorter inpatient treatment duration.
Discussion: This pilot study provides first evidence of gut microbiota alterations in
adolescent patients with AN that do not normalize with weight gain. If verified in
larger studies, the predictive power of taxa belonging to Lachnospiraceae for clinical
outcome could complement known predictors at admission, inform clinicians and
serve as a target for nutritional interventions.