[Mental disorders among relatives of patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa].

BACKGROUND

Family studies of anorexia (AN) and bulimia (BN) nervosa in relatives of patients with eating disorders compared to control subjects are rare in German-speaking countries.

METHODS

A German multicenter study compared first-, second- and third-degree relatives of 65 adolescent AN subjects (n = 746), 21 adolescent BN subjects (n = 265) and relatives of 11 adolescent depressive control subjects (n = 157), as well as those of 37 adolescent healthy control subjects (n = 480). Assessments included the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies (DIGS), the short form of the Family Interview of Genetic Studies (FIGS), and the Eating Disorder Family History Interview.

RESULTS

Rates of anorexia nervosa and major depressive disorder (trend) were significantly (p < .01) higher among the first- and second-degree relatives of anorexic and bulimic subjects than among the relatives of healthy controls. Most results were more prominent among relatives of bulimic index patients. Nevertheless, the frequencies were lower in this sample than in comparable US-American samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The data confirm the hypothesis of familial vulnerability to anorexia and bulimia nervosa. The observed differences in comorbidity patterns among eating-disordered relatives may be due to an age effect of the index patients.