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Can steroid use be a precipitant in the development of an eating disorder?
V Fornari1, I Dancyger, G La Monaca
1Department of Psychiatry, North Shore University Hospital, New York University School of Medicine, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA. vfornari@nshs.edu
Objective:
Corticosteroids have a wide range of clinical indications in the treatment of both acute and chronic medical illnesses, and weight gain is a well-documented side effect of their use. In this paper, we describe eight individuals with an eating disorder, which appeared following steroid administration for a medical condition.
Method:
These findings, support the possibility that the excessive weight gain resulting from steroid use can be a precipitating factor in the development of an eating disorder, particularly among female adolescents and young women who are preoccupied with their appearance and weight.
Results:
Physicians caring for women receiving corticosteroids should therefore familiarize themselves with these patients' pre-morbid and current eating habits, as well as their weight, dieting and body image histories.
Discussion:
The relevance of these cases for furthering our understanding of the development and treatment of eating disorder is also discussed.