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Updated: Mar 10, 2026
A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
Early Response to treatment in Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review and a Diagnostic Test Accuracy Meta-Analysis
Bruno Palazzo Nazar1,2, Louise Kathrine Gregor1, Gaia Albano1,3
1Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), London, UK.
Objective:
Early response to eating disorders treatment is thought to predict a later favourable outcome. A systematic review of the literature and meta-analyses examined the robustness of this concept.
Method:
The criteria used across studies to define early response were summarised following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Diagnostic Test Accuracy methodology was used to estimate the size of the effect.
Results:
Findings from 24 studies were synthesized and data from 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis. In Anorexia Nervosa, the odds ratio of early response predicting remission was 4.85(95%CI: 2.94-8.01) and the summary Area Under the Curve (AUC) = .77. In Bulimia Nervosa, the odds ratio was 2.75(95%CI:1.24-6.09) and AUC = .67. For Binge Eating Disorder, the odds ratio was 5.01(95%CI: 3.38-7.42) and AUC = .71.
Conclusion:
Early behaviour change accurately predicts later symptom remission for Anorexia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder but there is less predictive accuracy for Bulimia Nervosa. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
