title: Six-month open trial of haloperidol as an adjunctive treatment for anorexia nervosa: a preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of haloperidoll as an adjunctive treatment for resistant anorexia nervosa restricting subtype (AN-R).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen outpatients with treatment-resistant AN-R were treated for 6 months with haloperidol in addition to standard treatment. Treatment resistance was defined as persistent and resistant anorectic symptoms despite multiple standard therapies. Assessments were carried out at baseline and after 1, 3, and 6 months with the Eating Disorder Inventory (EAT), the Eating Attitude Test (EAT), and the Clinical Global Impression and Improvement Scale (CGI-I).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant change from baseline to end point was observed on EDI total score (p =.02) and on the subscales Drive for Thinness (p =.009), Bulimia (p =.01), and Interoceptive Awareness (p =.02), as well as on the EAT (p =.009) and CGI scores (p =.001). Body mass index changed significantly from baseline (15.7 +/- 1.9) to end point (18.1 +/- 2.5; p =.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary data suggest that low doses of haloperidol might be effective as an adjunctive treatment for patients with severe AN-R. Larger controlled studies are warranted to confirm these data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. gcassano@med.unipi.it
authors.forename: Giovanni B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miniati
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pini
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rotondo
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banti
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borri
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Camilleri
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mauri
mesh_terms: D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D000639:Amitriptyline; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D005473:Fluoxetine; D006220:Haloperidol; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline