Maintenance treatment and 6-month outcome for bulimic patients who respond to initial treatment

Am J Psychiatry. 1990 Jul;147(7):871-5. doi: 10.1176/ajp.147.7.871.

Abstract

Bulimic subjects who responded to intensive group psychotherapy plus imipramine or placebo or to imipramine alone (N = 68) were assigned to 4-month maintenance with weekly support groups and/or medication (placebo or imipramine) and were evaluated 6 months after initial treatment (N = 61). Thirty percent of the subjects relapsed during the 6 months. Initial treatment with group psychotherapy plus placebo or imipramine was associated with a lower relapse rate than initial treatment with imipramine alone. Neither attendance at the maintenance group sessions nor imipramine maintenance was associated with better outcome.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bulimia / prevention & control*
  • Bulimia / psychology
  • Bulimia / therapy
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Imipramine / therapeutic use*
  • Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care
  • Placebos
  • Psychotherapy, Group*
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Recurrence

Substances

  • Placebos
  • Imipramine