Am J Psychiatry 1980; 137:310-314
Copyright © 1980 by American Psychiatric Association
Treatment of severe weight loss in anorexia nervosa with hyperalimentation and psychotherapy
MJ Maloney and MK Farrell
Hyperalimentation is a feeding technique in which all essential nutrients
are infused intravenously to sustain patients who cannot eat. Although no
panacea for anorexia nervosa, hyperalimentation can provide calories for
intractable, malnourished patients. The authors describe the psychiatric
and hyperalimentation treatment for four severely anorectic patients who
had lost up to 44% of their body weight before entering the study. With
treatment their percentage of ideal weight rose from a mean of 59% to a
mean of 81% during hospitalization, and to a mean of 94% on outpatient
follow-up of 5--16 months. The authors discuss the indications,
limitations, and need for interdisciplinary collaboration in this
treatment.
