1.Anorexia Nervosa And Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Nos) In Singapore: A Seven-Year Retrospective Study
Goh Kye Hock Robin ; Lee Ee Lian ; Pearlene Lim ; Lum Shin Si
ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry 2016;17(1):1-14
Objective: Anorexia nervosa and eating disorder not otherwise specified (NOS),
an eating disorder not fulfilling anorexia nervosa DSM-IV criteria are on a
rising trend in Singapore. The aims of this paper were to study the clinical
characteristics and features of patients with anorexia and eating disorder NOS
in Singapore. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of 373 patients between
2003 and 2010 at a tertiary hospital was done. Inclusion criteria included
inpatients and outpatients with the age range of 12 years old to 40 years old
fulfilling the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-IV criteria for anorexia
nervosa and patients with the diagnosis of eating disorder NOS. The subjects are
analyzed based on the severity of the eating disorder and the presentation
subtypes. Results: An analysis of the overall demographic data revealed the
female to the male ratio to be 22.4:1. The Chinese formed the largest ethnic
group in the study population with 242 (86.1%) patients, and the bulk of the
patients (75.8%) patients were between 12 to 20 years old. Anorexia nervosarestricting
subtype was the most common eating disorder (55.2%) and the most
common body mass Index (BMI) was between BMI 14.6 – 16.5 (35.2%).
Restriction technique (p = 0.01), binge/purge (p = 0.03) and exercise (p < 0.001)
are statistically significant to cause transaminitis in patients. Conclusion: There
were significant changes in the demographics compared to the study reviewing
patients from 1994 and 2002. There was a significant increase in the Caucasian
population with changes in the Singapore immigration policy. A detail history
taken during first visit can reduce the morbidity and mortality of these patients.