title: Mirtazapine in the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa. Case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious and potentially life-threatening psychiatric disorder. Pharmacotherapeutic possibilities still remain limited. We sought to determine if there was a positive effect on body weight and body mass index (BMI) in AN patients being treated for depression or anxiety with mirtazapine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a case-control design, we found nine female patients with AN who had been treated with mirtazapine for depression or anxiety during hospitalization in our department. We also found nine female controls with AN, who had not received any pharmacotherapy. The two groups of patients were matched according to age and BMI. Case and control groups did not differ significantly in age (15.2 +/- 1.9 Vs. 14.7 +/- 1.7 years; P = 0.549), or in BMI (15.6 +/- 2.3 Vs. 15.6 +/- 2.1; P = 0.946) at baseline. Weight and BMI were evaluated at baseline and again after the patients had completed 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean dose of mirtazapine was 21.7 +/- 1.8 mg at the end of week 4. Using ANOVA Repeated Measures, we found no significant differences between cases and controls with regard to weight (P = 0.981) or BMI (P = 0.576). However, there was a non-significant trend in patients which had been treated with mirtazapine which showed slightly more improvement, in the measured parameters, at the end of weeks 1, 2 and 3, compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results are limited by small sample size. However, the use of mirtazapine could be useful in the treatment of AN in adolescence.
authors: Department of Child Psychiatry, 2nd Medical School, Charles University, V Uvalu 84, 15006 Prague, Czech Republic. Michal.Hrdlicka@lfmotol.cuni.cz
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Hrdlicka
authors: Irena
authors: I
authors: Beranova
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: Zamecnikova
authors: Tomas
authors: T
authors: Urbanek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008803:Mianserin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000078785:Mirtazapine
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D008803:Mianserin; D000078785:Mirtazapine