Scientists at University Hospital discuss research in anxiety disorders therapy
2007 NOV 19 -- Researchers detail in 'Cue exposure in the treatment of resistant adolescent bulimia nervosa,' new data in anxiety disorders. According to a study from Barcelona, Spain, "A percentage of bulimic patients do not greatly improve with the usual treatment. Therefore, the objective was to further evaluate cue exposure (CE), in order to attain better results in clinical settings Twenty-two adolescent patients who fulfilled DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for bulimia nervosa (mean age 16.7, SD 1.5) and who were resistant to the usual treatment followed a program of 12 CE sessions." "Clinical characteristics were evaluated and different psychopathological scales were administered at the beginning and the end of the CE program and at 6 month follow-up. Subjective anxiety and physiological parameters were recorded during the sessions A significant decrease was observed in subjective anxiety (p=.023), heart rate (p <.001), and blood pressure (p=.001) during the first session. A decrease in these parameters was also recorded between the first and the last session. The number of binges per week (p=.005) and the mean score for the psychopathological scales decreased significantly from the beginning of the treatment, and were significantly lower at the end of the CE program and at follow-up," wrote E. Martinez-Mallén and colleagues, University Hospital. The researchers concluded: "Purging behaviors per week only decreased significantly after the end of the CE session during the follow-up (p=.04) Anxiety, binging, purging, and psychopathological scales improve with a CE program in resistant bulimia nervosa." Martinez-Mallén and colleagues published their study in International Journal of Eating Disorders (Cue exposure in the treatment of resistant adolescent bulimia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 2007;40(7):596-601). For more information, contact E. Martinez-Mallén, Hospital Clinic Universitari of Barcelona, Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Institute Clinic of Neurosciences, Villaroel 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. Publisher contact information for the International Journal of Eating Disorders is: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA. Keywords: Spain, Barcelona, Anxiety Disorders Therapy, Adolescent Medicine, Anxiety Disorder, Bulimia Nervosa, Eating Disorders, Psychology, Therapy, Treatment. This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
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