Investigations

Investigations to help decide if a patient requires admission include

ECG all patients should have an ECG. Check for:

• Bradyarrhythmias
• Long QTc
• Non-specific T wave changes
• Hypokalaemia

Blood tests may be normal unless there are purging behaviours, such as laxatives or diuretics:

• FBC
• U&Es may be affected by dehydration, or malnutrition
  • Low sodium suggestive of water loading
  • Low potassium suspicious of vomiting or laxative abuse
• Glucose hypoglycaemia maybe associated with possible occult infection
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Phosphate
• LFTs raised transaminases with malnutrition

Additional investigations may be required, if admission is being considered, to assess nutritional state:

• Thyroid function tests
• Amylase
• Coeliac screen
• Vitamin D
• Iron studies, vitamin B12, folate
• Zinc, copper selenium