Outcome of Israeli adolescents with anorexia nervosa whose ambulatory treatment was abruptly interrupted during the Gulf War.

Abstract

We recently presented the theory that parents should be intensively involved in the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa during the acute re-feeding period and during follow-up. Thirteen anorectic patients with a mean age of 14.6 years (range: 12.6-16.5 years) were being treated in our pediatric day-care unit in Israel according to this treatment model when the Gulf War broke out. Because of the war, treatment was abruptly interrupted for approximately 6 weeks. Immediately after the war the patients were re-evaluated. We found that all of them maintained their weight, and two had even continued to gain weight. These results encouraged us to assume that our treatment model, based on intensive parental involvement especially during the acute re-feeding period, was effective.