A 3-month at-home tube feeding in 118 bulimia nervosa patients: a one-year prospective survey in adult patients

Abstract

Background & aims: To study the 1-yr follow-up of 118 bulimia nervosa (BN) patients after a 3-month at-home tube feeding (TF) in a prospective study.

Methods: At-home TF lasted 3 months, including one month of exclusive TF (no food). All patients fulfilled 4 questionnaires (score of binge/purging episodes (BP), eating disorder inventory, anxiety, depression), before, at the 3-month TF point, and 6 and 12 months latter.

Results: The score of BP episodes dramatically decreased from 28.8 ± 15 (before TF) to 7.3 ± 5.4 at 3 months, as well as at 1 yr (15.1 ± 6.2). We also obtained a 50% decrease in Beck score (depression) and Hamilton score (anxiety). Curiously, there was no difference between the BP scores of the patients following psychotherapy and those who did not, despite lower scores for anxiety and depression.

Conclusion: In conclusion, in bulimia nervosa patients having normal BMI and purging behavior, home-TF allow to obtain total withdrawal from bingeing/purging in at least 75% of the cases at short term (3 months) and in 25% of the patients at one year, whatever the patients have or have not psychotherapy.

Keywords: Bulimia nervosa; Eating disorders; Enteral nutrition; Psychotherapy; Tube feeding.