Short-term prospective study of recovery in bulimia nervosa.

Thirty women who sought treatment at an eating disorders clinic in a general hospital and were diagnosed as having a current episode of bulimia nervosa were followed prospectively to assess the course of eating behaviors and other psychopathology. At intake, all 30 met DSM-III criteria for bulimia nervosa, and 57% met Research Diagnostic Criteria for an affective disorder. After 6 months of followup, 33% had recovered from the bulimic episode, and 24% had recovered from the affective disorder. One subject had recovered from both disorders. In subjects with an affective disorder at intake, the affective disorder had little effect on the time to recovery from bulimia nervosa, and recovery from bulimia nervosa had little effect on the time to recovery from the affective disorder.