title: Increased mortality in bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anorexia nervosa has been consistently associated with increased mortality, but whether this is true for other types of eating disorders is unclear. The goal of this study was to determine whether anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorder not otherwise specified are associated with increased all-cause mortality or suicide mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using computerized record linkage to the National Death Index, the authors conducted a longitudinal assessment of mortality over 8 to 25 years in 1,885 individuals with anorexia nervosa (N=177), bulimia nervosa (N=906), or eating disorder not otherwise specified (N=802) who presented for treatment at a specialized eating disorders clinic in an academic medical center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Crude mortality rates were 4.0% for anorexia nervosa, 3.9% for bulimia nervosa, and 5.2% for eating disorder not otherwise specified. All-cause standardized mortality ratios were significantly elevated for bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified; suicide standardized mortality ratios were elevated for bulimia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with eating disorder not otherwise specified, which is sometimes viewed as a "less severe" eating disorder, had elevated mortality risks, similar to those found in anorexia nervosa. This study also demonstrated an increased risk of suicide across eating disorder diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, 2450 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. crowx002@tc.umn.edu
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Crow
authors.forename: Carol B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Sonja A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: Nancy C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Specker
authors.forename: Elke D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality; D015992:Body Mass Index; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology