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A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Purging disorder: an ominous variant of bulimia nervosa?
Pamela K Keel1, Alissa Haedt, Crystal Edler
1Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA. pamela-keel@uiowa.edu
Objective:
The current study evaluates the clinical significance and distinctiveness of purging disorder (PD), an eating disorder characterized by recurrent purging in the absence of objective binge episodes (OBE) among normal-weight individuals.
Method:
Women with PD (n = 37), bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 39), or no eating disorder (n = 35) completed clinical assessments. Women with PD (n = 23) and BN (n = 25) completed 6-month follow-up assessments.
Results:
Compared with controls, both eating-disordered groups reported significantly higher eating, Axis I, and Axis II pathology. Compared with BN, PD was associated with significantly lower eating concerns, disinhibition, and hunger. At 6-month follow-up, rates of remission did not differ significantly between PD and BN, and crossover between disorders was rare.
Conclusion:
PD appears to be a clinically significant and potentially distinctive eating disorder.
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