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Early response to desipramine among women with bulimia nervosa
Author(s) -
Walsh B. Timothy,
Sysko Robyn,
Parides Michael K.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.20209
Subject(s) - desipramine , bulimia nervosa , antidepressant , antidepressant medication , psychology , psychiatry , anorexia nervosa , medicine , eating disorders , anxiety
Objective Numerous trials have demonstrated the efficacy of antidepressant medications for the treatment of bulimia nervosa (BN). The current study examined whether early response to medication predicted response to medication at the end of a controlled trial. Method Data from two previously published studies of desipramine (DMI) were used. Seventy‐seven patients with BN were included in the analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to examine the relation between the percentage reduction in symptoms at each week and failure to respond to antidepressant medication at the end of the trial. Results Eventual nonresponders to DMI could be reliably identified in the first 2 weeks of treatment. Conclusion The current study provides preliminary evidence that patients with BN who will not respond to antidepressant medication can be identified in the first 2 weeks of treatment. © 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.