Objective: Eating disorders are complex illnesses with high morbidity and mortality. Yet, there is promising evidence to support the effects of nutrition on the brain and behaviour. One proposed example is the use of tyrosine as an adjunct treatment in anorexia nervosa (AN). However, recruitment and retention in eating disorder clinical trials has posed difficulties for researchers. The aim of this study was to pilot test a parallel randomised controlled trial (RCT) of tyrosine supplementation to explore the feasibility of recruitment and retention, intervention adherence and data collection methods from the perspective of participants and researchers.
Method: Feasibility was assessed using numbers participating, questionnaire completion in patients and parent/carers completing and declining participation, a researcher implementation record and clinical measures. Subjects included adolescents aged 12-17 years with AN. The study was conducted over a 12-week period, with the intervention group receiving 5 mg of L-tyrosine supplement and the control group receiving a placebo.
Results: Recruitment targets were not met and recruitment to a full RCT based on the current study protocol and recruitment sites did not prove feasible. Of the 39 approached for RCT participation, seven were recruited to the RCT (18% response rate) despite extending recruitment periods, with 100% retained and analysed. Patients or parents/carers identified barriers to study participation including burden, the need to consume tyrosine as tablets, and the use of blood, urine and psychological testing. Blood tyrosine rose markedly for subjects in the intervention group. No side effects were reported or measured.
Conclusions: This study offers a unique exploration of the feasibility of a tyrosine trial in anorexia nervosa and is of relevance to assist the success of future nutrition trials. Exploring the suitability of future study designs for nutrition intervention research is warranted.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40337-024-01134-5 | DOI Listing |
BMC Psychiatry
December 2024
Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215137, Jiangsu Province, China.
Background: In observational studies, frailty has been strongly associated with mental disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying the association between frailty and mental disorders remain unclear.
Methods: We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to assess the causal relationship between frailty, as measured by the frailty index (FI), and ten common mental disorders.
Int J Eat Disord
December 2024
Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
Objective: Family-based treatment (FBT) is the leading evidence-based treatment for adolescent eating disorders, but research exploring access and engagement in FBT is sparse. This paper focuses on findings from a broader study, specifically addressing the social determinants of health (SDH) impeding access and engagement in FBT for diverse families (i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol
December 2024
New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, Department of Emergency Medicine, New Jersey Medical School Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
While available for decades, the use of bupropion has increased in recent years. To provide an updated review on the use of bupropion, this article aimed to describe bupropion prescription details, potential indication, and treatment duration in children, young adults, and adults starting bupropion treatment. Individuals aged 6-64 newly initiating bupropion hydrochloride treatment were identified from commercial claims data (MarketScan, 1/1/2016-12/31/2022).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWorld J Psychiatry
December 2024
Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan Province, China.
Background: Eating disorders (EDs) have increasingly become a public health problem globally, especially among children and adolescents.
Aim: To estimate the burden of EDs in children and adolescents (ages 5-19 years) at the global, regional, and national levels.
Methods: Retrieved from Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 for EDs, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, we extracted the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and prevalence rates with 95% uncertainty intervals between 1990-2019.
J Eat Disord
December 2024
The InsideOut Institute for Eating Disorders, University of Sydney and Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Background: Access to evidence-based treatments such as family-based therapy (FBT) is difficult for adolescents diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa (AN) living in rural or regional areas due to a limited trained workforce, high staff turnover and inconsistent treatment fidelity. Telehealth offers a potential access solution by facilitating care irrespective of family or service location. The disruption to the health system caused by COVID-19 amplified an existing need and increased the use of telehealth to deliver FBT before its efficacy and safety was fully evaluated.
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