Classification of subtypes of patients with eating disorders by correspondence analysis

Abstract

Background: Grouping eating disorders (ED) patients into subtypes could help improve the establishment of more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies.

Aim: To identify clinically meaningful subgroups among subjects with ED using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA).

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted of all outpatients diagnosed for an ED at an Eating Disorders Outpatient Clinic to characterize groups of patients with ED into subtypes according to sociodemographic and psychosocial impairment data, and to validate the results using several illustrative variables. In all, 176 (72.13%) patients completed five questionnaires (clinical impairment assessment, eating attitudes test-12, ED-short form health-related quality of life, metacognitions questionnaire, Penn State Worry Questionnaire) and sociodemographic data. ED patient groups were defined using MCA and cluster analysis. Results were validated using key outcomes of subtypes of ED.

Results: Four ED subgroups were identified based on the sociodemographic and psychosocial impairment data.

Conclusion: ED patients were differentiated into well-defined outcome groups according to specific clusters of compensating behaviours.

Keywords: Compensating behaviour; Eating disorders; Multiple correspondence analysis; Observational descriptive study.