OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the frequency of the panic-agoraphobic spectrum symptoms in a sample of obese subjects affected by Binge Eating Disorder (BED) vs controls. METHOD: Fifty obese with BED were matched by age, sex and marital status to twenty-five normal weight controls. The Structured Clinical Interview For Panic-Agoraphobic Spectrum--SCI-PAS was administered to all participants. RESULTS: Obese subjects with BED presented significantly higher frequencies of typical and atypical panic symptoms (82% vs 8%, p<0.0001), agoraphobia (58% vs 12%, p=0.002) and reassurance orientation (56% vs 8%, p=0.001) than controls. DISCUSSION: BED frequently co-occurs with other major psychiatric disorders, traditionally assessed using categorical methods of classification of mental disorders. The spectrum of the subthreshold, atypical and partial symptoms of full-blown mental disorders, often neglected by categorical approach, may also affect subjective well-being and functioning as full-blown disorders. The identification of the subthreshold symptomatology may have relevant implications for the response to treatment and the outcome of the eating disorder.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the frequency of the panic-agoraphobic spectrum symptoms in a sample of obese subjects affected by Binge Eating Disorder (BED) vs controls. METHOD: Fifty obese with BED were matched by age, sex and marital status to twenty-five normal weight controls. The Structured Clinical Interview For Panic-Agoraphobic Spectrum--SCI-PAS was administered to all participants. RESULTS:Obese subjects with BED presented significantly higher frequencies of typical and atypical panic symptoms (82% vs 8%, p<0.0001), agoraphobia (58% vs 12%, p=0.002) and reassurance orientation (56% vs 8%, p=0.001) than controls. DISCUSSION: BED frequently co-occurs with other major psychiatric disorders, traditionally assessed using categorical methods of classification of mental disorders. The spectrum of the subthreshold, atypical and partial symptoms of full-blown mental disorders, often neglected by categorical approach, may also affect subjective well-being and functioning as full-blown disorders. The identification of the subthreshold symptomatology may have relevant implications for the response to treatment and the outcome of the eating disorder.
Authors: Secondo Fassino; Paolo Leombruni; Andrea Pierò; Giovanni Abbate Daga; Federico Amianto; Giuseppe Rovera; Giovanni Giacomo Rovera Journal: Compr Psychiatry Date: 2002 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 3.735