Affiliation:
1. IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna Centro Regionale per i Disturbi della Nutrizione e dell'Alimentazione in età evolutiva, Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit Bologna Italy
2. Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche (DIMEC) Università di Bologna Bologna Italy
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundEarly onset anorexia nervosa (EOAN) is a subclassification of AN, defined by an onset before 14 years, and characterized by specific demographic, neuropsychological, and clinical features. The present study aims to provide naturalistic data on a wide sample with EOAN, focusing on psychopathological and nutritional changes occurring in the context of a multidisciplinary hospital intervention, as well as the rate of rehospitalizations during a 1‐year follow‐up.MethodObservational, naturalistic study adopting standardized criteria for EOAN (onset before 14 years). EOAN were compared to adolescent‐onset AN (AOAN) patients (onset after 14 years) by demographic, clinical, psycho and treatment variables. Psychopathology was assessed at admission (T0) and discharge (T1) with self‐administered psychiatric scales for children and adolescents (SAFA) subtests for Eating Disorders, Anxiety, Depression, Somatic symptoms, and Obsessions. Then, potential differences of T0–T1 changes in psychopathological and nutritional variables were assessed. Finally, rates of re‐hospitalizations at 1‐year post‐discharge follow‐up were assessed with Kaplan–Meier analyses.ResultsTwo‐hundred thirty‐eight AN individuals (EOAN = 85) were enrolled. When compared to AOAN, EOAN participants were more frequently males (X2 = 5.360, p = .021), more frequently received nasogastric‐tube feeding (X2 = 10.313, p = .001), and risperidone (X2 = 19.463, p < .001), obtained a greater T0‐T1 improvement in body‐mass index percentage (F[1.229] = 15.104, p < .001, η2 = 0.030), with higher 1‐year freedom from re‐hospitalization (hazard ratio, 0.47; Log‐rank: X2 = 4.758, p = .029).ConclusionIn this study, describing the broadest EOAN sample available in literature so far, EOAN patients received specific interventions and obtained better outcomes at discharge and follow‐up when compared to AOAN. Longitudinal, matched studies are required.
Subject
Biological Psychiatry,Psychiatry and Mental health,Pshychiatric Mental Health