[Anorexia nervosa in Denmark--changes in diagnosis]

Using information retrieved from the Danish Central Psychiatric Register, 1017 anonymous patients who had been admitted to Danish psychiatric institutions during 1968-1986 under a diagnosis of eating disorder ICD 8,306.50-59 were traced throughout their altogether 3419 admissions over the same time period with the aim of examining the stability of the initial diagnosis. Fifty-nine percent maintained the diagnosis of eating disorder. Diagnostic change was found in 22%. Nineteen percent had eating disorder registered only as a subsidiary diagnosis. Two-thirds were readmitted. Diagnostic changes were mainly to and from those of personality disorder or neurosis. Only six percent ended up as being diagnosed with a psychosis. The high frequencies of diagnostic changes and subsidiary diagnoses support the concept of eating disorder as a clinical syndrome with fluctuating symptoms.