Anorexia Nervosa and Autism - a Care Location Adapted for Both Conditions

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious eating disorder and has the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric illnesses. Adolescence is the most common age of onset. Nine out of ten people who fall ill are girls/women, and 2% of all girls/women will fall ill with AN at some point in their lives. In AN, one engages in self-starvation, which in turn leads to underweight. 75 - 80% of individuals with AN recover during adolescence, while the remainder are at high risk of developing chronic AN. For the individual, the chronic condition means great suffering in the form of serious psychiatric and somatic co-morbidity, social isolation and reduced/lack of work ability. People with autism show social withdrawal and reduced flexibility, reminiscent of the symptoms seen in AN. An estimated 15 - 20% of all individuals with AN also have autism. People with AN and concurrent autism run an increased risk of a worse prognosis, as they have more difficulty absorbing treatment, which in itself increases the risk of the condition becoming chronic. Today, there is no scientific evidence for how people with AN and concurrent autism should be treated.

In a pilot study, the investigators will validate a so-called autism care location in our inpatient ward, at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden. The care location will be adapted for patients with AN and concurrent autism (AN+autism). In order to investigate the effect of a tailored care location for patients with AN + autism, the evaluation will include weight development and changes in nutritional intake, eating disorder and anxiety symptoms. The overall aim is to improve treatment for this specific AN subgroup, that otherwise has a worse prognosis regarding AN recovery.