Antidepressant treatment of bulimia: the relationship between bingeing and depressive symptomatology.

Abstract

In a retrospective study, 22 patients with bulimia were treated with at least one therapeutic trial of antidepressants. Most patients (77%) were clinically depressed before the drug trial. Bingeing frequency decreased in 59% of all cases, and depression improved in 58% of depressed subjects after a 4-week trial of antidepressants, although only 27% of all patients showed both an antibinge and an antidepressant response. Furthermore, during a 3-month follow-up period, several patients relapsed despite continuing medication. At the end of the follow-up period, 23% of subjects continued to show at least a 50% decrease in their bingeing. These data indicate that medication may have separate and possibly unrelated antibinge and antidepressant effects in this patient population.

• Authors: A W Brotman, D B Herzog, S W Woods
• Journal: The Journal of clinical psychiatry (J Clin Psychiatry) Vol. 45 Issue 1 Pg. 7-9 (Jan 1984) ISSN: 0160-6689 [Print] United States
• PMID: 6582060 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents

Topics

• Adult
• Antidepressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Depressive Disorder (complications, drug therapy, psychology)
• Feeding Behavior
• Feeding and Eating Disorders (drug therapy)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Hyperphagia (complications, drug therapy, psychology)
• Middle Aged
• Recurrence
• Retrospective Studies