Resurgence of anorexic symptoms during smoking cessation in patients with a history of anorexia nervosa: An unseen problem?--Report of two cases.

This report describes a resurgence of anorexic symptoms during a smoking cessation program in two patients with a history of anorexia nervosa. These two events were identified among patients lost to follow-up by using a strategy implemented to limit early drop out. In both cases, the resurgence of anorexic symptoms occurred rapidly after having reached abstinence from tobacco and was described as a response to the weight gain they had experienced just after the start of smoking cessation. The smoking cessation process itself was considered as the most plausible explanation for these two events. Given the potential serious consequences, further research is needed to determine whether such events are frequent during smoking cessation but being unseen because of being hidden in the loss to follow-up. This report also suggests that systematic screening for both binge eating and anorexic behaviors during smoking cessation is warranted.