Between 1943 and 1964, 41 female patients, suffering from anorexia nervosa, have been admitted to and treated for some time at the psychiatrie department of the University Hospital, Utrecht, Netherlands.
After 1960, a change in treatment took place, especially regarding the psychotherapeutic approach and drug therapy.
Comparison of the treatment results of both groups (pre- and post-1960) shows a much better improvement in body condition in the post-1960 group, at the time of discharge from the hospita!. However, it might be, that the Jonger duration of illness in the pre-1960 group before admittance to the hospital has some influence upon the poorer results in this group.
Both groups have been submitted to follow-up examination, covering a period of at least 3% years after discharge. Extensive information has been obtained about 26 patients. These data concern the somatic and psychic condition of the patients (weight, menstruation, defecation, lood intake, sexual life, social condition, problems of and in relation to their children, new psychiatrie treatment); in each one of these aspects, problems of moderate or severe degree were existing in 1/3 to 1/2 of the cases. The patients of the post-1960 group proved to be, at the time of the follow-up, in better shape, regarding weight and lood intake.
One patient, belonging to the pre-1960, group, died from direct complications of her disease.