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Comparing Olanzapine with Placebo in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa for Increasing BMI and Weight Gain

Received: 8 January 2024     Accepted: 19 January 2024     Published: 7 March 2024
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Abstract

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by exceptionally low body weight and a feeling of disgust toward food. In addition, it causes complications for the affected person as it affects their immunity, weakens them quickly, makes them sick and malnourished. The commonly known treatment for anorexia nervosa is psychological treatment using methods such as CBT and MANTRA. With the introduction of pharmacological medications, the aim of this review is now to determine whether olanzapine is effective compared to placebo in increasing BMI and weight gain. It was found that olanzapine had a large increase in BMI compared to placebo [F (1, 20) =6.64, p=0.018] and that it significantly reduced depression and anxiety. Further studies found that olanzapine patients gained weight more quickly and reached their BMI goals more quickly than patients taking a placebo. On the other hand, a contradictory result was found, namely that there was no significant difference between olanzapine and placebo in terms of weight recovery and psychological, depressive and anxiety symptoms. It is concluded that reliance on pharmacological therapies should be minimized until new evidence emerges and that psychotherapies such as CBT and MANTRA should be relied upon primarily to increase BMI in patients with anorexia nervosa.

Published in American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (Volume 12, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajcem.20241201.12
Page(s) 5-7
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Anorexia Nervosa, Olanzapine, Body Mass Index, Weight Gain

References
[1] Morris J, Twaddle S. Anorexia nervosa. BMJ. 2007; 334(7599): 894-898. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39171.616840.be
[2] Monteleone P, Brambilla F. Multiple Comorbidities in People with Eating Disorders. Comorbidity of Mental and Physical Disorders. 2014; 179: 66-80. https://doi.org/10.1159/000365532
[3] American Psychological Association. What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral. Published 2017
[4] Attia E, Walsh BT. Log in | BMJ Best Practice. bestpractice.bmj.com. Published 2021. https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/440/pdf/440/Anorexia%20nervosa.pdf
[5] Eating Disorder Coalition. Eating Disorders Are Treatable. http://eatingdisorderscoalition.org.s208556.gridserver.com/couch/uploads/file/Eating%20Disorders%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
[6] Hillebrand JJG, van Elburg AA, Kas MJH, van Engeland H, Adan RAH. Olanzapine Reduces Physical Activity in Rats Exposed to Activity-Based Anorexia: Possible Implications for Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa? Biological Psychiatry. 2005; 58(8): 651-657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.008
[7] Attia E, Kaplan AS, Walsh BT, et al. Olanzapine versus placebo for out-patients with anorexia nervosa. Psychological Medicine. 2011; 41(10): 2177-2182. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291711000390
[8] Attia E, Steinglass JE, Walsh BT, et al. Olanzapine Versus Placebo in Adult Outpatients with Anorexia Nervosa: A Randomized Clinical Trial. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2019; 176(6): 449-456. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.18101125
[9] Barbarich NC, McConaha CW, Gaskill J, et al. An open trial of olanzapine in anorexia nervosa. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2004; 65(11): 1480-1482. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v65n1106
[10] Bissada H, Tasca GA, Barber AM, Bradwejn J. Olanzapine in the Treatment of Low Body Weight and Obsessive Thinking in Women with Anorexia Nervosa: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2008; 165(10): 1281-1288. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2008.07121900
[11] Cassioli E, Sensi C, Mannucci E, Ricca V, Rotella F. Pharmacological treatment of acute-phase anorexia nervosa: Evidence from randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2020; 34(8): 864-873. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881120920453
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Jbara, J., Shaabani, H., Cherkezishvili, E., Chermahini, S. H. (2024). Comparing Olanzapine with Placebo in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa for Increasing BMI and Weight Gain. American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 12(1), 5-7. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcem.20241201.12

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    ACS Style

    Jbara, J.; Shaabani, H.; Cherkezishvili, E.; Chermahini, S. H. Comparing Olanzapine with Placebo in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa for Increasing BMI and Weight Gain. Am. J. Clin. Exp. Med. 2024, 12(1), 5-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajcem.20241201.12

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    AMA Style

    Jbara J, Shaabani H, Cherkezishvili E, Chermahini SH. Comparing Olanzapine with Placebo in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa for Increasing BMI and Weight Gain. Am J Clin Exp Med. 2024;12(1):5-7. doi: 10.11648/j.ajcem.20241201.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajcem.20241201.12,
      author = {Jalal Jbara and Hedyeh Shaabani and Ekaterine Cherkezishvili and Siavash Hosseinpour Chermahini},
      title = {Comparing Olanzapine with Placebo in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa for Increasing BMI and Weight Gain},
      journal = {American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine},
      volume = {12},
      number = {1},
      pages = {5-7},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajcem.20241201.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcem.20241201.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajcem.20241201.12},
      abstract = {Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by exceptionally low body weight and a feeling of disgust toward food. In addition, it causes complications for the affected person as it affects their immunity, weakens them quickly, makes them sick and malnourished. The commonly known treatment for anorexia nervosa is psychological treatment using methods such as CBT and MANTRA. With the introduction of pharmacological medications, the aim of this review is now to determine whether olanzapine is effective compared to placebo in increasing BMI and weight gain. It was found that olanzapine had a large increase in BMI compared to placebo [F (1, 20) =6.64, p=0.018] and that it significantly reduced depression and anxiety. Further studies found that olanzapine patients gained weight more quickly and reached their BMI goals more quickly than patients taking a placebo. On the other hand, a contradictory result was found, namely that there was no significant difference between olanzapine and placebo in terms of weight recovery and psychological, depressive and anxiety symptoms. It is concluded that reliance on pharmacological therapies should be minimized until new evidence emerges and that psychotherapies such as CBT and MANTRA should be relied upon primarily to increase BMI in patients with anorexia nervosa.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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    AU  - Jalal Jbara
    AU  - Hedyeh Shaabani
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    JO  - American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajcem.20241201.12
    AB  - Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by exceptionally low body weight and a feeling of disgust toward food. In addition, it causes complications for the affected person as it affects their immunity, weakens them quickly, makes them sick and malnourished. The commonly known treatment for anorexia nervosa is psychological treatment using methods such as CBT and MANTRA. With the introduction of pharmacological medications, the aim of this review is now to determine whether olanzapine is effective compared to placebo in increasing BMI and weight gain. It was found that olanzapine had a large increase in BMI compared to placebo [F (1, 20) =6.64, p=0.018] and that it significantly reduced depression and anxiety. Further studies found that olanzapine patients gained weight more quickly and reached their BMI goals more quickly than patients taking a placebo. On the other hand, a contradictory result was found, namely that there was no significant difference between olanzapine and placebo in terms of weight recovery and psychological, depressive and anxiety symptoms. It is concluded that reliance on pharmacological therapies should be minimized until new evidence emerges and that psychotherapies such as CBT and MANTRA should be relied upon primarily to increase BMI in patients with anorexia nervosa.
    
    VL  - 12
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Author Information
  • School of Health Sciences, The University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia

  • School of Health Sciences, The University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia

  • School of Health Sciences, The University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia

  • School of Science and Technology, The University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia

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