Course and Outcome of Anorexia Nervosa in Adolescents from a Tertiary-level Mental Health Setting in India: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Background: Anorexia nervosa is one of the least studied mental health conditions in the Indian setting. The objective of this study was to assess the course and outcome of anorexia nervosa in adolescents who had presented to a tertiary care child and adolescent psychiatry center over a period of 10 years. Methods: The present study is a retrospective chart review of adolescents (up to the age of 18 years) with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, coded as F50.0 or F50.1 according to ICD 10, from 1st April 2009 to 31st March 2019. Data were extracted from the case records using standardized abstraction forms and evaluated using descriptive and nonparametric statistics. Results: The average age at presentation and the average age at onset were 14.1 years and 13.1 years, respectively. The male-to-female ratio of the sample who got admitted was 1:9. The average duration of hospital stay was about 30 days. The duration of in-patient care and weight gain were positively correlated, with severe to extremely ill adolescents improving even in less than one month of in-patient care. Seventy per cent of the admitted adolescents followed up. The functional outcome as measured by a 'return to school' improved in 57.1% of the sample. Conclusions: The present study highlights the collaborative multidisciplinary and individualized treatment approach employed for adolescents diagnosed with anorexia nervosa within an inpatient mental health facility in India. Adolescents who presented with more severe illness at the initial assessment, such as an early onset of symptoms and a low BMI, experienced substantial weight gain that exhibited a positive correlation with the length of their stay in the inpatient facility.

Clinical profile of children and adolescents diagnosed with anorexia nervosa in Indian context.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the trends observed in the prevalence pattern, clinical presentation, psychosocial profile and treatment profile of anorexia nervosa in children and adolescents who presented to a tertiary care child and adolescent psychiatry centre over a period of ten years. METHODS: Case records of children and adolescents diagnosed with anorexia nervosa at the department of child and adolescent psychiatry from 1st April 2009-31 st March 2019 were obtained from the medical records department of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS). Standardized data abstraction forms were developed and used for the purpose of this study. Pseudo-anonymization was done to ensure confidentiality and clinical characteristics of the sample were studied using frequency analysis and central tendencies. RESULTS: Prevalence of anorexia nervosa in a clinic-based population is estimated to be 0.07% over the 10-year period. The mean age at presentation was 13.96 years (SD-2.3) and the male to female ratio was 1:12. The majority (80.8%) were admitted and only one patient (3.8%) received treatment on an outpatient basis. Two or more psychosocial stressors were associated with the onset of illness in 88.5% (n = 23) of the patients and dysfunctional family dynamics was noted to be a significant issue in the majority of cases. All the patients received pharmacotherapy and CBT-based individual therapy. The overall outcome was favourable based on the CGI-I scores. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of anorexia nervosa in the clinic-based setting is rising in the Indian context. Sample characteristics are similar to those seen in the west. There is a huge demand-supply gap that calls for creating a service provider network to ensure community-based care.

Clinical Outcomes among Asymptomatic or Mildly Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients in an Isolation Facility in Chennai, India.

Globally, India has reported the third highest number of COVID-19 cases. Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state, witnessed a huge surge in COVID-19 cases, resulting in the establishment of isolation facilities named COVID Care Center (CCC). In our study, we describe the demographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics; clinical progression; and outcome of 1,263 asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients isolated in one such CCC between May 4, 2020 and June 4, 2020. Around 10.5% of the patients progressed to moderate/severe illness, requiring referral for tertiary care, and three died. Nearly half (49.5%) of the patients were symptomatic at the time of admission, 2.2% of the patients developed symptoms post-testing, and 48.5% patients remained asymptomatic during the entire course of illness. Most common presenting symptoms were fever (69.9%) and cough (29.6%), followed by generalized body pain, breathlessness, and loss of smell and taste. On multivariate analysis, we identified that symptomatic patients with comorbidities and higher neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were more likely to progress to severe illness warranting referral for tertiary care. COVID Care Center ensured case isolation and monitoring of asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic patients, thereby providing hospital beds for sick patients. COVID Care Center isolation facilities are safe alternatives for medical institutions to isolate and monitor COVID-19 patients. Older symptomatic patients with comorbidities and a high NLR admitted in an isolation facility must be frequently monitored for prompt identification of clinical progression and referral to higher center for advanced medical care.