DOES FLUOXETINE AUGMENT THE INPATIENT TREATMENT OF ANOREXIA-NERVOSA

Objective: While pharmacological interventions are of established util ity in bulimia nervosa, medications have no clear role in the treatmen t of anorexia nervosa. Because patients with anorexia nervosa frequent ly exhibit mood disturbances and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive diso rder, the authors tested the utility of fluoxetine in the treatment of women participating in an inpatient program for anorexia nervosa. Met hod: The authors conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-bl ind, 7-week study of fluoxetine at a target daily dose of 60 mg in 31 women with anorexia nervosa receiving treatment for their eating disor der on a clinical research unit. Body weight and measures of eating be havior nad psychological state were obtained at baseline and at termin ation. Results: There were no significant differences in clinical outc ome on any measure between patients receiving fluoxetine and patients receiving placebo. Conclusions: Fluoxetine dos not appear to add signi ficant benefit to the inpatients treatments of anorexia nervosa.