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Thyroid indices and treatment outcome in bulimia nervosa
Author(s) -
Gendall K. A.,
Joyce P. R.,
Carter F. A.,
McIntosh V. V.,
Bulik C. M.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2003.00117.x
Subject(s) - bulimia nervosa , eating disorders , anorexia nervosa , psychiatry , binge eating , psychology , binge eating disorder , medicine , pediatrics
Objective: This study examined the thyroxine (T4) and free T4 (FT4) status of women with bulimia nervosa and its value as a predictor of outcome. Method: A total of 135 women with bulimia nervosa underwent 12‐weeks cognitive behavioral therapy treatment. Prior to and at 3‐year follow‐up patients completed psychiatric assessments and serumT4 and FT4 were measured. Results: At 3‐year follow‐up, 71% had no eating disorder and 29% met criteria for any eating disorder diagnosis. Mean T4 and FT4 concentrations were within normal ranges. Pre‐treatment T4 and FT4 concentrations were inversely associated with food restriction and purging frequency, respectively. Compared with women with no eating disorder, those with any eating disorder at follow‐up had lower pretreatment T4 concentrations. When pre‐treatment food restriction, oral contraceptive use and binge frequency where controlled for, low T4 concentration was the only predictor of eating disorder diagnosis at follow‐up. Conclusion: Low T4 concentrations at pretreatment may be a predictor of poor outcome in bulimia nervosa.