Open trial of fluvoxamine in the treatment of bulimia nervosa

Twenty patients suffering from bulimia nervosa received 50-150 mg fluvoxamine daily for a period of 8 weeks. Primary end-points included the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), the Severity Index of Bulimic Condition (BINGE), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scores, and the number of binge eating episodes per week. Other variables assessed included the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale and adverse experience checklist. Compared with baseline, total EDI scores increased significantly from 137.8 to 155.3 after 8 weeks of fluvoxamine treatment (p < .001); CGI score fell significantly from 3.5 to 2.3 (p < .01) during this period. The mean number of binge eating episodes recorded by patients significantly decreased (p < .001). Further significant improvements in bulimic behavior were noted using the BINGE questionnaire. Nine of 20 patients complained of adverse experiences, all of which were mild; the most common symptoms were somnolence (n = 4) and insomnia (n = 3). Fluvoxamine appears to be a safe and effective treatment for bulimia nervosa.