Anorexia nervosa in a Spanish adolescent sample: an 8-year longitudinal study

The aim of this study was to determine the intermediate-term outcome of a sample of Spanish children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN).

A total of 48 female patients were evaluated at a mean follow-up time of 8 years by means of the Psychiatric Status Rating Scale, the Morgan and Russell Outcome Scale, a structured DSM-III interview and several self-report questionnaires. Their scores were compared with a sex- and age-matched control group.

Three patients (6%) still had AN, two (4%) had partial syndromes of anorexia, 11 patients (23%) had recovered but still showed concern about food/body weight and 32 patients (67%) had recovered completely. The crude mortality rate was 2%.

The majority of this sample of children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa sample recovered. Perfectionism and interpersonal distrust were significantly more common in the anorexic patients than in the controls. Depression and phobias, including social phobia, were the most common comorbid psychiatric diagnoses at follow-up.