METHODS: Seventy-four patients diagnosed with eating disorders, 32 with Anorexia nervosa (AN), 19 with Bulimia nervosa (BN) and 23 with Eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) were included. This is a prospective and comparative study. Patients were treated by psychotherapy, nutritional treatment and pharmacotherapy.
RESULTS: The recovery rates in the groups of patients with AN, BN and EDNOS were 14 (43.7%), 8 (42.1%), 10 (43.4%), respectively, p>0.05. The rates of improvement were 14 (43.7%), 10 (52.6%), 12 (52.1%) for AN, BN and EDNOS, respectively, p>0.05. Finally, the rate of patients who had poor outcome were 3 (9.3%), 1 (5.2%), and 1 (4.3%), p>0.05, for AN, BN, and EDNOS, respectively. Cox regression analysis showed that the age of disease onset and no use of psychotropic drugs predicted a good response in patients with ED.
CONCLUSIONS: The treatment response to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, nutritional support and psychotropic drugs in the majority of patients was favorable and similar in most patients with different types of Eating Disorders. Furthermore, a young age and no use of psychotropic drugs predict a favorable outcome in patients with ED.