Eating disorders in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: prevalence and clinical correlates

OBJECTIVE

The objective is to evaluate the prevalence and associated clinical characteristics of eating disorders (ED) in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

METHOD

This is a cross-sectional study comparing 815 patients with OCD. Participants were assessed with structured interviews and scales: SCID-I, Y-BOCS, Dimensional Y-BOCS, BABS, Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories.

RESULTS

Ninety-two patients (11.3%) presented the following EDs: binge-eating disorders [= 59 (7.2%)], bulimia nervosa [= 16 (2.0%)], or anorexia nervosa [= 17 (2.1%)]. Compared to OCD patients without ED (OCD-Non-ED), OCD-ED patients were more likely to be women with previous psychiatric treatment. Mean total scores in Y-BOCS, Dimensional Y-BOCS, and BABS were similar within groups. However, OCD-ED patients showed higher lifetime prevalence of comorbid conditions, higher anxiety and depression scores, and higher frequency of suicide attempts than did the OCD-Non-ED group. Primarily diagnosed OCD patients with comorbid ED may be associated with higher clinical severity.

DISCUSSION

Future longitudinal studies should investigate dimensional correlations between OCD and ED.

Bulimia nervosa as a risk factor for voice disorders--literature review

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a type of feeding disorder that starts in adolescence and presents a variety of symptoms, recurrent vomiting in the oral cavity that may reach down to the larynx - similarly to gastro-esophageal reflux, causing laryngeal and voice disorder alterations.

AIM

These studies aimed at surveying the literature and investigate the studies that considered BN a risk factor for voice disorders.

RESULTS

of the ninety three papers we found, twenty-three were used as a basis for this review, among them, only three discuss BN as an etiology factor associated with voice changes in adult women, and we did not find any paper associating this with bulimic teenagers.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to observe laryngeal and vocal signs and symptoms associated with BN, especially in teenagers whose voices are going through a period of change.