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Cyproheptadine in Anorexia Nervosa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Solomon C. Goldberg
Affiliation:
Psychopharmacology Research Branch, National Institutes of Mental Health, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rm. 9–105, Rockville, Maryland 20852
Katherine A. Halmi
Affiliation:
University of Iowa College of Medicine, 500 Newton Road, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
Elke D. Eckert
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Hospitals, Box 393 Mayo Bldg, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455
Regina C. Casper
Affiliation:
University of Illinois, Illinois State Psychiatric Institute, West Side Medical Center, 1601 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60625
John M. Davis
Affiliation:
University of Chicago, Illinois State Psychiatric Institute, West Side Medical Center, 1601 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, Illinois 60625

Summary

In three hospitals 81 female patients satisfying rigorous diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa were randomly allocated to one of four treatment combinations of cyproheptadine and placebo with behaviour therapy and no behaviour therapy. Cyproheptadine was found to be effective in inducing weight gain in a subgroup of anorexia nervosa patients who (a) had a history of birth delivery complications, (b) had lost 41–52 per cent weight from norm and (c) had a history of prior outpatient treatment failure. This subgroup may represent a more severe form of anorexia nervosa.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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