Author(s)

Chikako Kane^1*, Masahito Tomotake², Sayo Hamatani³, Shinichi Chiba², Tetsuro Ohmori⁴

¹Graduate School of Health Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.
²Department of Mental Health, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
³Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
⁴Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to elucidate clinical factors influencing quality of life (QOL) in anorexia nervosa (AN) patients. Methods: Twenty female patients with AN (median age = 30.0 years, quartile deviation = 6.8) and forty female healthy controls (HC) (median age = 30.0 years, quartile deviation = 8.6) participated in the study. QOL was assessed with the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and social support was evaluated using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Clinical symptoms were evaluated with the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (SIGH-D) and the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2). Results: Scores of the SF-36 Mental Component Summary (MCS) (U = 124.0, P < 0.0001) and Role/Social Component Summary (RCS) (U = 223.0, P = 0.006) and scores of total (U = 108.0, P < 0.0001) and subscales of the MSPSS were lower in AN group than HC group, and the SIGH-D score was higher (U = 46.0, P < 0.0001) in AN group than HC group. Scores of the SIGH-D (ρ = −0.565, P < 0.05) and subscales of the EDI-2 Interoceptive Confusion (ρ = −0.556, P < 0.05), Interpersonal Difficulty (ρ = −0.581, P < 0.05) and Negative Self-image (ρ = −0.617, P < 0.05) were negatively correlated to MCS, and score of Interoceptive Confusion subscale showed a negative correlation to RCS (ρ = −0.672, P < 0.05). Moreover, stepwise regression analysis showed that the SIGH-D score was an independent predictor of MCS and Interoceptive Confusion score predicted RCS. Conclusion: These results suggest that among a variety of clinical symptoms and psychopathologies, depressive symptoms, poor emotional awareness and impaired sense of control are the most important influencing factors on AN patients’ QOL.

Anorexia Nervosa, Quality of Life, Influencing Factor, Depression, Interoceptive Confusion

Kane, C. , Tomotake, M. , Hamatani, S. , Chiba, S. and Ohmori, T. (2018) Clinical Factors Influencing Quality of Life in Anorexia Nervosa Patients. Open Journal of Psychiatry, 8, 50-60. doi: 10.4236/ojpsych.2018.81004.