[Do patients with anorexia nervosa return to psychological health? results of a 12-year follow-up of 103 patients].

In a long-term follow-up study over 12.7% (range 9-19) years, 16 of 103 patients with anorexia nervosa died. 92% of the survivors were followed up personally, 7% only indirectly. The paper presents the psychological changes assessed by means of the Anorexia Nervosa Symptom Score in the course of the disorder. At the time of catamnesis, the psychic condition of the patients was furthermore evaluated in more detail by procedures of independent assessment (DSM III-R, Impairment-Score (IS), Confidant Rating) as well as by using different instruments of self-assessment (Eating Attitude Test, Eating Disorder Inventory, Social Network Questionnaire). In a case conference taking into account all relevant findings, 40.1% of the patients were found to be healthy, 30.4% were considered to still show severe psychic disorders, and 29.4% were rated as desolate. These results suggest that part of the patients become psychicalls healthy again. Altogether, however, the long-term prognosis of anorexia has to be regarded as rather poor.