Alternatives to inpatient treatment in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: Effectiveness and characteristics of a new intensive model of day patient treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Inpatient Treatment (IT) is the treatment of choice for moderate or severely ill adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Nevertheless, it is expensive, and the risk for relapse or readmissions is high. A less costly alternative to IT is Day Patient Treatment (DP), which may also help to avoid relapses and readmissions because facilitates transition from hospital to community treatment. AIM: To assess the effectiveness of the 11-hour DP program for Eating Disorders (DP-ED-11h), a new intensive DP treatment for adolescents with AN, with respect to weight recovery, avoidance of hospital admission and decrease of Length of Stay (LoS). METHOD: A longitudinal, naturalistic study was carried out analysing clinical and sociodemographic variables from 77 patients with AN who were consecutively discharged from DP-ED-11h, during years 2015-2016. RESULTS: There were 77 discharges. The average age was 14.4 years old (SD: 1.62). The LoS at DP-ED-11h was 28.9 days (SD: 18.5). The mean body mass index increased significantly at discharge (17.2 vs. 17.9, p<0.001) and at 12 months follow- up (17.9 vs. 19.3, p<0.001). Twenty nine (70.8%) of the patients treated at DP-ED-11h, who came from a less intensive setting, avoided an admission. Fourteen (18.2%) required readmission at DP-ED-11h within two years. The LoS at IT was significantly reduced (from 33 to 24 days, p<0.043). CONCLUSION: DP-ED-11h has shown to be an effective resource as an alternative to IT for adolescents with moderate to severe AN. This new model has cost-effectiveness implications as it is a safe resource and is less costly than IT.

Alternativas a la hospitalización total en adolescentes con anorexia nerviosa: Eficacia y características de un nuevo modelo intensivo de tratamiento en hospital de día / Alternatives to inpatient treatment in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: Effectiveness and characteristics of a new intensive model of day patient treatment

INTRODUCCIÓN: La Hospitalización Total (HT) es el tratamiento de elección para adolescentes con Anorexia Nerviosa (AN) moderada-grave. Sin embargo, ésta es costosa y el riesgo de recaída o reingresos es alto. Una alternativa menos costosa es la Hospitalización Parcial (HP), que puede ayudar a evitar recaídas y reingresos porque facilita la transición del hospital al tratamiento comunitario. OBJETIVO: Evaluar la eficacia de un tratamiento intensivo en HP para adolescentes con AN, el programa de HP para Trastornos de la Conducta Alimentaria (TCA) de 11 horas (HP-TCA-11h), respecto a la recuperación ponderal, evitar ingresos y disminuir estancias en HT. MÉTODO: Se realizó un estudio longitudinal y naturalístico que analizó las variables clínicas y socio-demográficas de los pacientes con AN que fueron dados de alta consecutivamente del HP-TCA-11h, durante los años 2015-2016. RESULTADOS: Se realizaron 77 altas. La edad media fue de 14.4 años (DE: 1.62). La estancia media fue de 28.9 días (DE: 18.5). La media del índice de masa corporal aumentó significativamente al alta (17.2 frente a 17.9, p < 0.001) y a los 12 meses de seguimiento (17.9 frente a 19.3, p < 0.001). Veintinueve (70.8%) pacientes tratados en HP-TCA-11h, que vinieron de un recurso menos intensivo, evitaron el ingreso en HT. Catorce (18.2%) requirieron un reingreso en HP-TCA-11h en dos años. La estancia media en HT disminuyó significativamente (de 33 a 24 días, p < 0.043). CONCLUSIÓN: HP-TCA-11h ha demostrado ser un recurso eficaz como alternativa a la HT para adolescentes con AN moderada-grave. Este nuevo modelo tiene implicaciones coste-efectivas ya que es un recurso seguro y menos costoso que la HT

INTRODUCTION: Inpatient Treatment (IT) is the treatment of choice for moderate or severely ill adolescents with An-orexia Nervosa (AN). Nevertheless, it is expensive, and the risk for relapse or readmissions is high. A less costly alterna-tive to IT is Day Patient Treatment (DP), which may also help to avoid relapses and readmissions because facilitates tran-sition from hospital to community treatment. AIM: To assess the effectiveness of the 11-hour DP pro-gram for Eating Disorders (DP-ED-11h), a new intensive DP treatment for adolescents with AN, with respect to weight recovery, avoidance of hospital admission and decrease of Length of Stay (LoS). METHOD: A longitudinal, naturalistic study was carried out analysing clinical and sociodemographic variables from 77 patients with AN who were consecutively discharged from DP-ED-11h, during years 2015-2016. RESULTS: There were 77 discharges. The average age was 14.4 years old (SD: 1.62). The LoS at DP-ED-11h was 28.9 days (SD: 18.5). The mean body mass index increased significantly at discharge (17.2 vs.17.9, p < 0.001) and at 12 months fol-low-up (17.9 vs.19.3, p < 0.001). Twenty nine (70.8%) of the patients treated at DP-ED-11h, who came from a less inten-sive setting, avoided an admission. Fourteen (18.2%) required readmission at DP-ED-11h within two years. The LoS at IT was significantly reduced (from 33 to 24 days, p < 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: DP-ED-11h has shown to be an effective resource as an alternative to IT for adolescents with moder-ate to severe AN. This new model has cost-effectiveness im-plications as it is a safe resource and is less costly than IT

Ideación suicida y conductas autolesivas en adolescentes con Trastornos de la Conducta Alimentaria / Suicidal ideation and self-injurious behavior in adolescents with eating disorders

Introducción. Es conocida la presencia de ideas suicidas y comportamientos autolesivos en pacientes con Trastornos de la Conducta Alimentaria (TCA), sin embargo, esta asociación no está claramente definida empíricamente. El objetivo del estudio es determinar la prevalencia de ideación suicida y conductas autolesivas en adolescentes con TCA. Un segundo objetivo es estudiar la asociación entre conducta autolesiva e ideación suicida, gravedad de la sintomatología alimentaria, depresiva, ansiosa, motivación para el cambio y perfeccionismo. Metodología. Se evaluaron a 109 pacientes (edad media: 14,74 años (DE:1,53); 87,2% mujeres) con el Inventario de TCA (EDI-2), el Inventario de Depresión de Beck (BDI-II), el Inventario de Ansiedad Estado/Rasgo (STAI), la Escala de Perfeccionismo en Niños y Adolescentes (CAPS) y el Cuestionario de Etapas de Cambio en la Anorexia Nerviosa (ANSOCQ). Resultados. Cuarenta y siete pacientes (43,1%) presentaron ideación suicida y 34 (31,2%) conductas autolesivas. La presencia de ideación suicida no discriminó entre pacientes TCA con y sin comportamiento autolesivo. Los pacientes con comportamiento autolesivo presentaron una puntuación significativamente mayor en todas las escalas del EDI-2, a excepción de Miedo a Madurar, en la puntuación total del BDI-II, STAI y en la CAPS. Se encontró una asociación entre la conducta autolesiva y la motivación para el cambio. Conclusiones. Un porcentaje importante de adolescentes con TCA presentan ideación suicida y comportamientos autolesivos, siendo el perfil psicopatológico de estos pacientes más grave. La presencia de ideación suicida en adolescentes con TCA no tiene necesariamente implicaciones con la conducta autolesiva, este comportamiento podría explicarse como consecuencia de la necesidad de regular emociones negativas intensas (AU)

Introduction. The presence of suicidal thoughts and self-injurious behaviors in patients with eating disorders (ED) is well-known; however, this association is currently not defined empirically. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation and self-harm in adolescents with eating disorders. A second objective is to study the association between self-injurious behavior and suicidal ideation, severity of eating disorder symptoms and symptoms of depression and anxiety, motivation to change and perfectionism. Methodology. We evaluated 109 patients (mean age, 14.74 years (SD: 1.53); 87.2% female) using the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS) and the Anorexia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire (ANSOCQ). Results. Forty-seven patients (43.1%) had suicidal ideation and 34 (31.2%), self-injurious behavior. The presence of suicidal ideation did not discriminate between patients with or without self-injurious behavior. Patients who self-harm had significantly higher scores on all scales of the EDI-2, except for ‘maturity fears’, in the total scores of BDI-II, STAI and CAPS. An association between self-injurious behavior and motivation to change was found. Conclusions. A significant percentage of adolescents with eating disorders present suicidal ideation and self-injurious behavior, making the psychopathological profile of these patients more severe. The presence of suicidal ideation in adolescents with eating disorders does not necessarily mply that they have self-injurious behavior; rather, such behavior could be a result of the need to regulate intense negative emotions (AU)

Suicidal ideation and self-injurious behavior in adolescents with eating disorders.

INTRODUCTION: The presence of suicidal thoughts and self-injurious behaviors in patients with eating disorders (ED) is well-known; however, this association is currently not defined empirically. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation and self-harm in adolescents with eating disorders. A second objective is to study the association between self-injurious behavior and suicidal ideation, severity of eating disorder symptoms and symptoms of depression and anxiety, motivation to change and perfectionism. METHODOLOGY: We evaluated 109 patients (mean age, 14.74 years (SD: 1.53); 87.2% female) using the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-2), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale (CAPS) and the Anorexia Nervosa Stages of Change Questionnaire (ANSOCQ). RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (43.1%) had suicidal ideation and 34 (31.2%), self-injurious behavior. The presence of suicidal ideation did not discriminate between patients with or without self-injurious behavior. Patients who self-harm had significantly higher scores on all scales of the EDI-2, except for “maturity fears”, in the total scores of BDI-II, STAI and CAPS. An association between selfinjurious behavior and motivation to change was found. CONCLUSIONS: A significant percentage of adolescents with eating disorders present suicidal ideation and selfinjurious behavior, making the psychopathological profile of these patients more severe. The presence of suicidal ideation in adolescents with eating disorders does not necessarily imply that they have self-injurious behavior; rather, such behavior could be a result of the need to regulate intense negative emotions.