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Long-Term Mortality in Anorexia Nervosa

A 20–Year Follow-Up of the St George's and Aberdeen Cohorts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Arthur H. Crisp
Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, Department of Mental Health Sciences, London
John S. Callender
Affiliation:
University of Aberdeen, Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Scotland
Christine Halek
Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, Department of Mental Health Sciences, London
L. K. George Hsu*
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh, Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
*
Correspondence

Abstract

Two cohorts of anorexia nervosa patients were followed up for a mean of 20 years. All except 4% of each cohort was traced. The crude mortalities were: St George's, 4%; Aberdeen, 13%. The SMRs were: St George's, 136; Aberdeen, 471. If the untraced were assumed to be dead, crude mortalities were 7.6% and 15.9% respectively, and SMRs were 276 and 592 respectively. Causes of death were complications of the illness and suicide. Medical treatment may reduce early mortality, while comprehensive medical and psychotherapeutic treatment may reduce late mortality.

Type
Brief Reports
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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