A comparison of clinical and psychological features in subgroups of patients with anorexia nervosa

✍ Scribed by Manuela Oliosi; Riccardo Dalle Grave

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2003
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 72 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1072-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/erv.528

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Background:

In DSM‐IV anorexics who purge without binging (AN‐P) are considered together with the binge eating purging subgroup (AN‐B). Few studies have investigated whether it is binge eating per se or the compensatory behaviours that provide the most relevant marker for subclassifying anorexia nervosa.

Methods:

We compared 40 restricting‐type anorexics (AN‐R), 40 AN‐B and 38 AN‐P subjects consecutively admitted to our inpatient treatment. We excluded patients who had not had a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa for at least 1.5 years duration.

Results:

AN‐B patients showed a slightly more severe eating disorder symptomatology, while in terms of body weight AN‐R and AN‐P present a higher degree of weight loss. Psychiatric symptoms were similar in the three groups. Sexual abuse, suicide attempts and dissociative symptoms were higher in AN‐P and AN‐B patients compared to AN‐R.

Discussion:

Our results together with the fact that it is difficult to define binge eating in anorexic subjects and that purging behaviours are often associated with severe medical complications, support the subtyping system of anorexia nervosa based on the presence/absence of purging behaviours rather than of binge eating. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.