Sara F. Forman

Distribution of eating disorders in children and adolescents using the proposed DSM-5 criteria for feeding and eating disorders.

PURPOSE To determine the distribution of eating disorders (ED) in children and adolescents comparing the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) to the proposed fifth edition DSM criteria. METHODS A total of 215 consecutive patients (15.4 ± 3.3 years) presenting for initial ED evaluation to adolescent medicine physicians from six institutions were assigned ED diagnoses using current DSM-IV criteria as well as proposed DSM-5 criteria. RESULTS Diagnoses of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa increased using the proposed DSM-5 criteria (from 30.0% to 40.0% and from 7.3% to 11.8%, p < .001). Approximately 14% of patients received the presumptive DSM-5 diagnosis of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. Cases of ED not otherwise specified decreased from 62.3% to 32.6% (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Proposed DSM-5 criteria substantially decreased the frequency of ED not otherwise specified diagnoses and increased the number of cases of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in a population of young patients presenting for ED treatment. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder appears to be a significant diagnosis.

Variations in Admission Practices for Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa: A North American Sample

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to assess the variability in admission practices and medical inpatient care for adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). METHODS Participants consisted of members of the 2001-2003 Eating Disorder Special Interest Group from the Society for Adolescent Medicine who completed a structured telephone interview about their admission practices and patterns of inpatient care for teens with AN. Questions focused on admission threshold for heart rate (HR), percentage of ideal body weight (% IBW), and refeeding protocols. Case vignettes were used. RESULTS Of 95 eligible practitioners, 51 (53%) agreed to participate. Participants represented 25 American states, one Canadian province, and 45 different adolescent programs. The majority of physicians reported they would hospitalize an AN patient with HR <40 beats/min. The most common response for when to hospitalize based on % IBW was 75% IBW. There were no differences in admission practices based on number of years in practice, gender of physician, or practice setting. Regional differences in admission practices were noted, with physicians in the western United States less likely to admit patients with HR >or=40 beats per minute (p = .018). Physicians described 28 different methods of advancing a diet during an admission. Only 37% of physicians were aware of a standardized refeeding protocol in their institution. CONCLUSION This study indicates variability in admission criteria and refeeding practices and shows evidence of geographic variations of admission standards. These data provide a baseline for outcome trials investigating medical admissions for adolescents with AN.

Predictors of Outcome at 1 Year in Adolescents With DSM-5 Restrictive Eating Disorders: Report of the National Eating Disorders Quality Improvement Collaborative

PURPOSE The National Eating Disorders Quality Improvement Collaborative evaluated data of patients with restrictive eating disorders to analyze demographics of diagnostic categories and predictors of weight restoration at 1 year. METHODS Fourteen Adolescent Medicine eating disorder programs participated in a retrospective review of 700 adolescents aged 9-21 years with three visits, with DSM-5 categories of restrictive eating disorders including anorexia nervosa (AN), atypical AN, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Data including demographics, weight and height at intake and follow-up, treatment before intake, and treatment during the year of follow-up were analyzed. RESULTS At intake, 53.6% met criteria for AN, 33.9% for atypical AN, and 12.4% for ARFID. Adolescents with ARFID were more likely to be male, younger, and had a longer duration of illness before presentation. All sites had a positive change in mean percentage median body mass index (%MBMI) for their population at 1-year follow-up. Controlling for age, gender, duration of illness, diagnosis, and prior higher level of care, only %MBMI at intake was a significant predictor of weight recovery. In the model, there was a 12.7% change in %MBMI (interquartile range, 6.5-19.3). Type of treatment was not predictive, and there were no significant differences between programs in terms of weight restoration. CONCLUSIONS The National Eating Disorders Quality Improvement Collaborative provides a description of the patient population presenting to a national cross-section of 14 Adolescent Medicine eating disorder programs and categorized by DSM-5. Treatment modalities need to be further evaluated to assess for more global aspects of recovery.

Clinical practice guidelines for treating restrictive eating disorder patients during medical hospitalization.

Purpose of review Anorexia nervosa is a life-threatening complex psychiatric disorder that often requires patients to be medically hospitalized. In order to help provide consistent high-quality care to inpatients medically hospitalized for nutritional deficiency, a clinical practice guideline for these patients was created at Childrens Hospital Boston. This paper reviews essential components of the clinical practice guideline for patients with restrictive eating disorders. Recent findings There is considerable variability in admission practices, inpatient treatment and discharge criteria for patients with anorexia nervosa. Weight restoration is one critical factor in treatment, and research suggests that some medical complications are reversible with weight restoration. Weight gain during hospitalization is associated with better short-term outcomes, which indicate patients are continuing toward recovery. However, patients must be closely monitored during nutritional rehabilitation to avoid complications. Summary The clinical practice guideline for patients with restrictive eating disorders outlines the care patients receive during the course of their hospitalization. The clinical practice guideline has been effective in helping patients to meet weight-gain goals. Clinical practice guideline outcome data could be used to compare protocols on a national level and help establish best practices for the inpatient medical treatment for these patients.

Irregular Menses Linked to Vomiting in a Nonclinical Sample : Findings from the National Eating Disorders Screening Program in High Schools

PURPOSE Using data from an eating disorders screening initiative conducted in high schools across the United States, we examined the relationship between vomiting frequency and irregular menses in a nonclinical sample of adolescent females. METHODS A self-report questionnaire was administered to students from U.S. high schools participating in the National Eating Disorders Screening Program in 2000. The questionnaire included items on frequency of vomiting for weight control in the past 3 months, other eating disorder symptoms, frequency of menses, height, and weight. Multivariable regression analyses were conducted using data from 2791 girls to estimate the risk of irregular menses (defined as menses less often than monthly) associated with vomiting frequency, adjusting for other eating disorder symptoms, weight status, age, race/ethnicity, and school clusters. RESULTS Girls who vomited to control their weight one to three times per month were one and a half times more likely (risk ratio [RR] = 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2-2.2), and girls who vomited once per week or more often were more than three times more likely (RR = 3.2; 95% CI = 2.3-4.4), to experience irregular menses than were girls who did not report vomiting for weight control. Vomiting for weight control remained a strong predictor of irregular menses even when overweight and underweight participants were excluded. CONCLUSIONS Our study adds to the evidence that vomiting may have a direct effect on hormonal function in adolescent girls, and that vomiting for weight control may be a particularly deleterious component of eating disorders.

An eleven site national quality improvement evaluation of adolescent medicine-based eating disorder programs: predictors of weight outcomes at one year and risk adjustment analyses.

PURPOSE This quality improvement project collected and analyzed short-term weight gain data for patients with restrictive eating disorders (EDs) treated in outpatient adolescent medicine-based ED programs nationally. METHODS Data on presentation and treatment of low-weight ED patients aged 9-21 years presenting in 2006 were retrospectively collected from 11 independent ED programs at intake and at 1-year follow-up. Low-weight was defined as < 90% median body weight (MBW) which is specific to age. Treatment components at each program were analyzed. Risk adjustment was performed for weight gain at 1 year for each site, accounting for clinical variables identified as significant in bivariate analyses. RESULTS The sites contained 6-51 patients per site (total N = 267); the mean age was 14.1-17.1 years; duration of illness before intake was 5.7-18.6 months; % MBW at intake was 77.5-83.0; and % MBW at follow-up was 88.8-93.8. In general, 40%-63% of low weight ED subjects reached ≥90% MBW at 1-year follow-up. At intake, patients with higher % MBW (p = .0002) and shorter duration of illness (p = .01) were more likely to be ≥90% MBW at follow-up. Risk-adjusted odds ratios controlled for % MBW and duration of illness were .8 (.5, 1.4)-1.3 (.3, 3.8), with no significant differences among sites. CONCLUSION A total of 11 ED programs successfully compared quality improvement data. Shorter duration of illness before intake and higher % MBW predicted improved weight outcomes at 1 year. After adjusting for risk factors, program outcomes did not differ significantly. All adolescent medicine-based ED programs were effective in assisting patients to gain weight.

Evidence-based treatment of eating disorders.

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are common problems facing adolescents and young adults. Treatment of these disorders poses a challenge to health care providers given the general paucity of clinical trials to guide management. There is evidence to support the use of CBT as well as psychopharmacotherapy to decrease binge and purge behaviors in bulimia nervosa. Significantly fewer trials have examined the efficacy of such therapies for anorexia nervosa. Short-term trials appear promising regarding potential treatments for bone loss in anorexia nervosa. The role of exercise in the management of anorexia nervosa remains controversial and begs future investigative efforts.

Is there an increased clinical severity of patients with eating disorders under managed care

OBJECTIVES We sought to examine possible differences in medical status at presentation in 1996, compared to 1991, of adolescents with eating disorders (EDs) at a hospital-based multidisciplinary care program to reflect the increasing market penetration of managed care. DESIGN Charts were reviewed for all new patients scheduled in a hospital-based outpatient ED program in 1996 and 1991. The 92-item standardized data extraction form included information on demographics, indicators of illness severity at the first visit, and subsequent hospitalization. The need for primary care referral was verified using billing records. Data were analyzed with Students t-test, Chi-square, Fishers exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests using SPSS 7.5. RESULTS Of the 153 total patients, 133 kept their intake appointment and 130 (98%) of these had charts available for review. The age, racial/ethnic characteristics, and average length of disordered eating behaviors were not significantly different over the 5-year period. Referral from a primary care clinician was more commonly required in 1996 than 1991 (59% vs. 11%; p < .0001). Eighteen percent of the patients seen in 1996 were admitted from the initial appointment for medical stabilization, compared to 1.5% in 1991 (p = .002). Comparing 1996 to 1991, a similar number of patients had symptoms consistent with anorexia nervosa, whereas fewer patients in 1996 gave a history of bingeing and purging (22% vs. 40%; p = .027). There were no significant differences in indicators of illness severity, treatment by primary care clinician prior to referral, or hospitalization rates for those patients with and without managed care. CONCLUSIONS Patients in 1996 were more likely to require referrals, were less likely to have symptoms consistent with bulimia nervosa, and were more likely to be admitted for medical stabilization. There were no differences in patient presentation characteristics or initial hospitalization rates based on their managed care status. Further research is needed to investigate the changes in illness severity at presentation and to assess the role that managed care plays in the treatment of patients with eating disorders.

Development of a Standardized Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Tool for Radiologists: Validation, Multisource Reliability, and Lessons Learned

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to develop and test a standardized communication skills assessment instrument for radiology. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Delphi method was used to validate the Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment instrument for radiology by revising and achieving consensus on the 43 items of the preexisting instrument among an interdisciplinary team of experts consisting of five radiologists and four nonradiologists (two men, seven women). Reviewers assessed the applicability of the instrument to evaluation of conversations between radiology trainees and trained actors portraying concerned parents in enactments about bad news, radiation risks, and diagnostic errors that were video recorded during a communication workshop. Interrater reliability was assessed by use of the revised instrument to rate a series of enactments between trainees and actors video recorded in a hospital-based simulator center. Eight raters evaluated each of seven different video-recorded interactions between physicians and parent-actors. RESULTS The final instrument contained 43 items. After three review rounds, 42 of 43 (98%) items had an average rating of relevant or very relevant for bad news conversations. All items were rated as relevant or very relevant for conversations about error disclosure and radiation risk. Reliability and rater agreement measures were moderate. The intraclass correlation coefficient range was 0.07-0.58; mean, 0.30; SD, 0.13; and median, 0.30. The range of weighted kappa values was 0.03-0.47; mean, 0.23; SD, 0.12; and median, 0.22. Ratings varied significantly among conversations (χ26 = 1186; p < 0.0001) and varied significantly by viewing order, rater type, and rater sex. CONCLUSION The adapted communication skills assessment instrument is highly relevant for radiology, having moderate interrater reliability. These findings have important implications for assessing the relational competencies of radiology trainees.

Practice-Based Quality Improvement Collaborative to Increase Chlamydia Screening in Young Women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Chlamydia trachomatis infections are common among sexually active young women. We developed a practice-based quality improvement (QI) collaborative to increase Chlamydia screening in at-risk young women. METHODS: Structured data fields were integrated into the electronic record for practices affiliated with Boston Children’s Hospital. A learning community (LC) was developed. Content included the adolescent well visit, assessment of sexual/risk behaviors, epidemiology of sexually transmitted diseases, and screening methods. The QI initiative effectiveness was assessed by comparing preintervention and postintervention rates of Chlamydia screening by using statistical process control analyses and logistic regressions. RESULTS: LC participants demonstrated significant increases in recommended Chlamydia screening, as illustrated by using Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) screening rates (LC1: 52.8% preintervention vs 66.7% postintervention [P < .0001]; LC2: 57.8% preintervention vs 69.3% postintervention [P < .0001]). Participating practices reported total improvements larger than nonparticipating practices (13.9% LC1, 11.5% LC2, and 7.8% nonparticipants). QI and LC efforts also led to increased documentation of sexual activity status in the record (LC1: 61.2% preintervention to 91.2% postintervention [P < .0001]; LC2: 43.3% preintervention to 61.2% postintervention [P < .0001]). Nonparticipating practices were more likely to perform indiscriminate screening. CONCLUSIONS: Through our QI and LC efforts, statistically and clinically meaningful improvements in Chlamydia screening rates were attained. Differences in rates of improvement indicate that LC participation likely had effects beyond electronic medical record changes alone. During the project time frame, national HEDIS screening rates remained unchanged, suggesting that the observed improvements were related to the interventions and not to a national trend. As a result of QI tools provided through the LCs, HEDIS screening goals were achieved in a primary care setting.