Multifocal germinoma masquerading as avoidant restrictive food intake disorder: a case of severely decreased food intake and malnutrition.

Abstract

A young woman presented with significant weight loss and malnutrition secondary to decreased food intake. Her presentation was felt to be consistent with a psychiatric diagnosis of avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). She received 3 years of treatment for ARFID, but failed to make significant progress and ultimately required a feeding tube. Incidentally, she noted severe visual field changes at this time, which triggered further workup including an MRI of the head. This revealed the true diagnosis of a suprasellar and pineal germinoma. There are several cases in the literature of germinomas presenting with decreased food intake that were misdiagnosed as anorexia nervosa. However, this is the first reported case of a multifocal germinoma presenting as ARFID. Criteria for the diagnosis of ARFID do not include body image distortion, potentially making this eating disorder more prone to misdiagnosis.

• Authors: Heather M McDonald, Tony Lin, Lulu L C D Bursztyn
• Journal: European journal of clinical nutrition (Eur J Clin Nutr) Vol. 76 Issue 1 Pg. 173-176 (01 2022) ISSN: 1476-5640 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 33742154 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

Topics

• Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder
• Eating
• Feeding and Eating Disorders (diagnosis)
• Female
• Germinoma (diagnosis)
• Humans
• Malnutrition (diagnosis)
• Retrospective Studies