title: Cardiac Risk and Disordered Eating: Decreased R Wave Amplitude in Women with Bulimia Nervosa and Women with Subclinical Binge/Purge Symptoms.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was threefold. First, we examined whether women with bulimia nervosa (n = 12) and women with subthreshold binge/purge symptoms (n = 20) showed decreased mean R wave amplitude, an indicator of cardiac risk, on electrocardiograph compared to asymptomatic women (n = 20). Second, we examined whether this marker was pervasive across experimental paradigms, including before and after sympathetic challenge tasks. Third, we investigated behavioural predictors of this marker, including binge frequency and purge frequency assessed by subtype (dietary restriction, excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, and laxative abuse). Results of a 3 (ED symptom status) × 5 (experimental condition) mixed factorial ANCOVA (covariates: body mass index, age) indicated women with bulimia nervosa and women with subclinical binge/purge symptoms demonstrated significantly reduced mean R wave amplitude compared to asymptomatic women; this effect was pervasive across experimental conditions. Multiple regression analyses showed binge and purge behaviours, most notably laxative abuse as a purge method, predicted decreased R wave amplitude across all experimental conditions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
authors: Cornell College, Department of Psychology, Mt. Vernon, IA, USA. mgreen@cornellcollege.edu.
authors: Melinda
authors: M
authors: Green
authors: The University of Iowa, Department of Health and Human Physiology, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Rogers
authors: Cornell College, Department of Psychology, Mt. Vernon, IA, USA.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Nguyen
authors: Cornell College, Department of Psychology, Mt. Vernon, IA, USA.
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Blasko
authors: Cornell College, Department of Psychology, Mt. Vernon, IA, USA.
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Martin
authors: Cornell College, Department of Psychology, Mt. Vernon, IA, USA.
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Hudson
authors: Cornell College, Department of Psychology, Mt. Vernon, IA, USA.
authors: Kristen
authors: K
authors: Fernandez-Kong
authors: Cornell College, Department of Psychology, Mt. Vernon, IA, USA.
authors: Zauditu
authors: Z
authors: Kaza-Amlak
authors: Cornell College, Department of Psychology, Mt. Vernon, IA, USA.
authors: Brandon
authors: B
authors: Thimmesch
authors: Cornell College, Department of Psychology, Mt. Vernon, IA, USA.
authors: Tyler
authors: T
authors: Thorne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000150:complications*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D014839:Vomiting
keywords: bulimia nervosa; cardiac risk; mean R wave amplitude