Amitriptyline in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Biederman Joseph; David B. Herzog; Timothy M. Rivinus; Gordon P. Harper; Richard A. Ferber; Jerrold F. Rosenbaum; Jerold S. Harmatz; Robert Tondorf; Paul J. Orsulak; Joseph J. Schildkraut

Amitriptyline in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Biederman Joseph, David B. Herzog, Timothy M. Rivinus, Gordon P. Harper, Richard A. Ferber, Jerrold F. Rosenbaum, Jerold S. Harmatz, Robert Tondorf, Paul J. Orsulak, Joseph J. Schildkraut

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

137 Scopus citations

Abstract

The tricyclic antidepressant drug amitriptyline was evaluated as a short-term treatment of anorexia nervosa patients. In a 5-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study 11 patients were given amitriptyline and 14 received placebo. In addition, 18 patients who refused to participate in the drug trial and received only psychosocial treatment were used as an additional comparison group. Overall, patients in the three groups showed little improvement. No statistically significant differences favoring amitriptyline were found in any of the outcome variables. Plasma levels varied widely among patients receiving similar doses. No association was found between plasma levels and improvement in either psychiatric symptomatology or weight. Amitriptyline patients did not manifest any tendency for a reduction of depressive symptomatology. In addition, amitriptyline treatment was associated with substantial discomfort and adverse affects.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	10-16
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
Volume	5
Issue number	1
State	Published - Feb 1985
Externally published	Yes

Cite this

@article{8051256716a042eb9ae854c70a4cae2c,

title = "Amitriptyline in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study",

abstract = "The tricyclic antidepressant drug amitriptyline was evaluated as a short-term treatment of anorexia nervosa patients. In a 5-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study 11 patients were given amitriptyline and 14 received placebo. In addition, 18 patients who refused to participate in the drug trial and received only psychosocial treatment were used as an additional comparison group. Overall, patients in the three groups showed little improvement. No statistically significant differences favoring amitriptyline were found in any of the outcome variables. Plasma levels varied widely among patients receiving similar doses. No association was found between plasma levels and improvement in either psychiatric symptomatology or weight. Amitriptyline patients did not manifest any tendency for a reduction of depressive symptomatology. In addition, amitriptyline treatment was associated with substantial discomfort and adverse affects.",

author = "Biederman Joseph and Herzog, {David B.} and Rivinus, {Timothy M.} and Harper, {Gordon P.} and Ferber, {Richard A.} and Rosenbaum, {Jerrold F.} and Harmatz, {Jerold S.} and Robert Tondorf and Orsulak, {Paul J.} and Schildkraut, {Joseph J.}",

year = "1985",

month = feb,

language = "English",

volume = "5",

pages = "10--16",

journal = "Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology",

issn = "0271-0749",

publisher = "Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Ltd.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Amitriptyline in the treatment of anorexia nervosa

T2 - A double-blind, placebo-controlled study

AU - Joseph, Biederman

AU - Herzog, David B.

AU - Rivinus, Timothy M.

AU - Harper, Gordon P.

AU - Ferber, Richard A.

AU - Rosenbaum, Jerrold F.

AU - Harmatz, Jerold S.

AU - Tondorf, Robert

AU - Orsulak, Paul J.

AU - Schildkraut, Joseph J.

PY - 1985/2

Y1 - 1985/2

N2 - The tricyclic antidepressant drug amitriptyline was evaluated as a short-term treatment of anorexia nervosa patients. In a 5-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study 11 patients were given amitriptyline and 14 received placebo. In addition, 18 patients who refused to participate in the drug trial and received only psychosocial treatment were used as an additional comparison group. Overall, patients in the three groups showed little improvement. No statistically significant differences favoring amitriptyline were found in any of the outcome variables. Plasma levels varied widely among patients receiving similar doses. No association was found between plasma levels and improvement in either psychiatric symptomatology or weight. Amitriptyline patients did not manifest any tendency for a reduction of depressive symptomatology. In addition, amitriptyline treatment was associated with substantial discomfort and adverse affects.

AB - The tricyclic antidepressant drug amitriptyline was evaluated as a short-term treatment of anorexia nervosa patients. In a 5-week double-blind, placebo-controlled study 11 patients were given amitriptyline and 14 received placebo. In addition, 18 patients who refused to participate in the drug trial and received only psychosocial treatment were used as an additional comparison group. Overall, patients in the three groups showed little improvement. No statistically significant differences favoring amitriptyline were found in any of the outcome variables. Plasma levels varied widely among patients receiving similar doses. No association was found between plasma levels and improvement in either psychiatric symptomatology or weight. Amitriptyline patients did not manifest any tendency for a reduction of depressive symptomatology. In addition, amitriptyline treatment was associated with substantial discomfort and adverse affects.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0021960684&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Article

C2 - 3973067

AN - SCOPUS:0021960684

SN - 0271-0749

VL - 5

SP - 10

EP - 16

JO - Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology

JF - Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology

IS - 1

ER -

Amitriptyline in the treatment of anorexia nervosa: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Abstract

Fingerprint

Cite this