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Comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorders and duration of eating disorders
Gabriella Milos1, Anja Spindler, Giovanni Ruggiero
1Psychiatric Polyclinic, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. gabriella.milos@psy.usz.ch
Objective:
This study explored the comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders (ED) and examined the relationship between OCD comorbidity and the duration of ED. Subjects with OCD were expected to show a longer history of ED.
Method:
ED females (N = 237; 84 with anorexia nervosa and 153 with bulimia nervosa) were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-1). Data were analyzed by logistic regression to determine whether OCD comorbidity is associated with duration of ED.
Results:
The total sample showed a prevalence rate for OCD of 29.5%. OCD prevalence did not differ between anorexic and bulimic subjects. OCD comorbidity was significantly associated with a longer history of ED.
Conclusion:
The findings of the study support previous research indicating a high comorbidity of ED with OCD. The results also suggest that OCD may play a role in the course of ED. Prospective studies are necessary to examine this hypothesis further.