Purging behaviors and comorbidity as predictive factors of quality of life in anorexia nervosa

Objective This study examined the predictive factors for the physical and mental summary components (PCS and MCS) of quality of life (SF-36) in patients with anorexia nervosa. Method Forty-seven patients with anorexia nervosa were studied. Assessment comprised psychiatric diagnosis by a clinical structured interview for Axis I disorders (SCID-I) and personality disorders (SCID-II), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), and Quality of Life (SF-36). Results Anorexia nervosa, restrictive type, was diagnosed in 73.9% of the patients and 51% of the patients presented with comorbidity on Axis I or Axis II or both. The predictive variables for the PCS were poor outcome in previous year, comorbidity on Axes I and II, and female gender. The predictive variables for the MCS were the presence of comorbidity in one or the other of the Axis I or II disorders and purging behaviors. Discussion The current study suggests the importance of comorbidity and purging behaviors in the quality of life of these patients with anorexia nervosa. © 2004 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 36: 445–450, 2004.