A longitudinal investigation of mortality in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Although anorexia nervosa has a high mortality rate, our understanding of the timing and predictors of mortality in eating disorders is limited. The authors investigated mortality in a long-term study of patients with eating disorders. METHOD Beginning in 1987, 246 treatment-seeking female patients with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa were interviewed every 6 months for a median of 9.5 years to obtain weekly ratings of eating disorder symptoms, comorbidity, treatment participation, and psychosocial functioning. From January 2007 to December 2010 (median follow-up of 20 years), vital status was ascertained with a National Death Index search. RESULTS Sixteen deaths (6.5%) were recorded (lifetime anorexia nervosa, N=14; bulimia nervosa with no history of anorexia nervosa, N=2). The standardized mortality ratio was 4.37 (95% CI=2.4-7.3) for lifetime anorexia nervosa and 2.33 (95% CI=0.3-8.4) for bulimia nervosa with no history of anorexia nervosa. Risk of premature death among patients with lifetime anorexia nervosa peaked within the first 10 years of follow-up, resulting in a standardized mortality ratio of 7.7 (95% CI=3.7-14.2). The standardized mortality ratio varied by duration of illness and was 3.2 (95% CI=0.9-8.3) for patients with lifetime anorexia nervosa for 0 to 15 years (4/119 died), and 6.6 (95% CI=3.2-12.1) for those with lifetime anorexia nervosa for >15 to 30 years (10/67 died). Multivariate predictors of mortality included alcohol abuse, low body mass index, and poor social adjustment. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the need for early identification and intervention and suggest that a long duration of illness, substance abuse, low weight, and poor psychosocial functioning raise the risk for mortality in anorexia nervosa.

Figure 1. Survival Curve comparing individuals with and without lifetime history of anorexia nervosa