Eating Disorders Identified in 7% of Adolescents With Epilepsy

Clinicians should screen for eating disorders among adolescents with epilepsy without intellectual disability, according to results published in Epilepsia. Phillip Pearl, MD, and colleagues examined the incidence of eating disorders among 376 adolescents, including 84 with both epilepsy and eating disorders, 135 with only epilepsy, and 157 with only eating disorders. e rate of eating disorders in adolescents with epilepsy was 7.0% overall and was higher in girls than boys (11.3% vs 3.1%). e median difference in the time from epilepsy onset to an eating disorder was 1.6 years. Among adolescents with epilepsy, those with an eating disorder were more likely to be girls (P=0.001) and have a lower z-score for BMI percentile (P<0.001). e group of adolescents with eating disorders were younger at the time of eating disorder onset (P<0.001), included relatively more boys (P=0.007), and included more cases of anorexia-nervosa-restrictive disorders (P<0.001) and fewer cases of bulimia nervosa (P=0.04) and binge eating disorder (P=0.003). Adolescents with epilepsy and a comorbid eating disorder were more likely to have psychiatric comorbidities, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidality, than adolescents with only epilepsy or eating disorders