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Poor Metabolic Control In Diabetic Women

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INSÄNT AV Red DEN 16 :e FEBRUARI, 1997 vid 19 - tiden

Eating Disorders Associated With Poor Metabolic Control In
Diabetic Women

Eating disorders are associated with insulin
misuse in women with IDDM. Dr. Sandra G. Affenito of the University of
Connecticut suggests "...routine early screening for attitudes and behaviors
associated with subclinical disordered eating and insulin misuse..." in this patient
population.

Dr. Affenito and associates at a number of centers recruited 90 women with IDDM
for the study. They used DSM-III-R criteria for eating disorders to divide the
subjects into three groups: clinical disorders, subclinical disorders and controls.

Patients with clinical and subclinical eating disorders "...reported using insulin
omission or reduction...as a primary method of purging calories," according to Dr.
Affenito. In addition, both clinical and subclinical subjects had significantly higher
HbA-1c concentrations compared with controls, which "...were associated with
eating-disordered behaviors and greater diabetes-related complications."

The investigators conclude: "The diabetes healthcare team should be aware of the
potential for presence of both subclinical and clinical eating disorders when treating
young adult women who present with elevated [HbA-1c] concentrations."

Diabetes Care 1997;20:182-184. Medical Reueter