Introduction: In the aim to explore the efficacy of tube feeding (TF) in ambulatory anorexia nervosa (AN) patients, we prospectively treated 60 AN patients by tube feeding (TF) at home, using a nasogastric tube.
Methods: Nutritional (clinical, biological) and psychological (Hamilton and Beck scores) markers were assessed before and after 2 months of NEAD.
Results: While the patient's body weight was decreasing during the previous 2 months, it significantly increased (P<0.001) during the 2-month TF, both in the restrictive and the binge/purging form: +3,42 +/- 2,39 kg in the restrictive ones and +2,82 +/- 2,17 kg in the binge/purging ones. Patients were rapidly (48 h) and frequently abstinent from binge/purging during TF: 90% had no more binge/purging episodes (P<0.0001). TF did not worse the eating behavior, and did increase neither anxiety nor depressive levels (Hamilton and Beck scores). Biological nutritional markers were normal before TF and remained so (2nd month), except haptoglobin which was low before and reached normal range during TF (P<0,01).
Conclusion: Ambulatory TF seems to be useful in AN patients at home. This could permit to avoid hospitalization, but needs to be confirmed by a randomized trial.