Treatment of anorexia nervosa with antidepressants

Nine patients with anorexia nervosa were treated with antidepressant medications from three classes: tricyclics, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and triazolopyridines. A tenth patient was treated with the combination of lithium carbonate and carbamazepine. With either the initial or a subsequent medication trial, four patients had displayed significant improvement in weight and in other anorexic and bulimic symptoms. Three additional patients had a marked or moderate improvement in bulimic symptoms, one with moderate and two without any weight gain. Two other patients had moderate weight gain. Side effects were a significant problem in many of the patients. These preliminary results suggest that antidepressants may be of benefit in the treatment of some patients with anorexia nervosa.