Dissociation, childhood trauma, and the response to fluoxetine in bulimic patients

Histories of childhood trauma have been reported previously in bulimic subjects but no study to date has assessed how these experiences may affect response to fluoxetine. Thirty outpatient subjects in a placebo-controlled trial of 60 mg of fluoxetine for the treatment of bulimia nervosa completed the Dissociative Experiences Scale and a self-report instrument assessing trauma. Response to treatment was measured with the Hamilton Depression Scale-17 (HAMD-17), the CGI, the PGI, and the change in number of binges per day. Subjects taking fluoxetine with histories of physical abuse showed a significantly greater drop in HAMD-17 scores than those without such histories. No relationship between a reported history of abuse and the response of binging to fluoxetine was found. A history of abuse does not appear to predict the response of binging to fluoxetine but may predict a greater response of nonspecific symptoms like depression.