Purging disorder: an ominous variant of bulimia nervosa?

Abstract

Objective: The current study evaluates the clinical significance and distinctiveness of purging disorder (PD), an eating disorder characterized by recurrent purging in the absence of objective binge episodes (OBE) among normal-weight individuals.

Method: Women with PD (n = 37), bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 39), or no eating disorder (n = 35) completed clinical assessments. Women with PD (n = 23) and BN (n = 25) completed 6-month follow-up assessments.

Results: Compared with controls, both eating-disordered groups reported significantly higher eating, Axis I, and Axis II pathology. Compared with BN, PD was associated with significantly lower eating concerns, disinhibition, and hunger. At 6-month follow-up, rates of remission did not differ significantly between PD and BN, and crossover between disorders was rare.

Conclusion: PD appears to be a clinically significant and potentially distinctive eating disorder.