Specific and nonspecific comorbidity in anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
This article reports lifetime Axis I and II comorbidity in women with anorexia nervosa (AN), and ascertains specific and nonspecific comorbidity in AN compared to clinical samples of women with bulimia nervosa (BN) or major depression (DEP).


METHODS
Outpatient AN (n = 56), BN (n = 132), and DEP (n = 100) samples were assessed using Structured Clinical Interviews I and II for DSM-III-R. Baseline data were compared using univariate statistics and logistic regression.


RESULTS
In the AN sample as a whole, specific elevations were found for prevalences of obsessive compulsive disorder. The AN-binge eating purging subtype (AN-BP) and the BN sample had elevated prevalences of Cluster B personality disorders. Cluster C prevalences were elevated across samples.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence of AN-specific, eating disorder-specific, and nonspecific comorbidity illustrates the heterogeneity in AN. Further research is need to examine the relative impact of specific and nonspecific comorbidity in AN subtypes and AN as a whole.
Jordan
Jennifer
J
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Christchurch, New Zealand. jenny.jordan@chmeds.ac.nz
Joyce
Peter R
PR
Carter
Frances A
FA
Horn
Jacqueline
J
McIntosh
Virginia V W
VV
Luty
Suzanne E
SE
McKenzie
Janice M
JM
Frampton
Christopher M A
CM
Mulder
Roger T
RT
Bulik
Cynthia M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index