Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41669625›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2026

Effect of psychopharmacological combinations on psychopathological symptom burden and BMI trajectories in patients with eating disorders.

Ernesta Panarello, Francesco Monaco, Valeria Di Stefano, Annarita Vignapiano, Roberta Zaffonte, Ilaria Pullano, Giulio Corrivetti, Luca Steardo, Michele Fornaro

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Ernesta Panarello *Department of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
Francesco Monaco *Department of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
Valeria Di StefanoPsychiatric Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
Annarita VignapianoDepartment of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
Roberta ZaffontePsychiatric Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
Ilaria PullanoPsychiatric Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
Giulio CorrivettiDepartment of Mental Health, ASL Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
Luca SteardoPsychiatric Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
Michele FornaroDepartment of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences, and Dentistry, Section of Psychiatry, University School of Medicine Federico II, Naples, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Eating disorders (EDs), particularly Anorexia Nervosa (AN), remain one of the most severe and treatment-resistant eating disorders, with high relapse rates and limited pharmacological options. While second-generation antipsychotics and antidepressants are commonly prescribed as adjuncts to nutritional rehabilitation, their real-world impact on weight restoration and psychopathological symptom severity remains unclear. Methods: We conducted a prospective, naturalistic observational study of 127 inpatients diagnosed with restrictive anorexia nervosa (AN-r), binge-purge anorexia nervosa (AN-bp), or bulimia nervosa (BN). BMI and weekly psychopathological symptom burden were systematically monitored throughout a ten-week inpatient treatment program. Psychopharmacological treatments were recorded in real time, and the Average Morbidity Index (AMI), adapted from the Life Chart Methodology, was computed weekly as a prospective measure of clinical severity. Generalized Linear Models assessed the associations between specific drug classes and changes in BMI and AMI. Results: Patients treated with mood stabilizers (e.g., Carbamazepine, Lithium) showed a smaller BMI increase compared to other groups (Coef. = -0.96 to -1.70; p< 0.05), suggesting a potential weight-stabilizing effect. Diazepam use was associated with greater weight gain (Coef. = +2.06; p = 0.02) but no clear benefit on AMI. Several antidepressants (e.g., Sertraline, Escitalopram) correlated with higher AMI scores, indicating less improvement in psychopathological symptom burden. Atypical antipsychotics (e.g., Olanzapine, Aripiprazole) were linked to greater reductions in AMI. Conclusions: Prospective monitoring of BMI and AMI revealed differential associations between psychopharmacological agents and both nutritional and symptomatic trajectories in an inpatient ED cohort predominantly composed of patients with AN. Mood stabilizers were associated with smaller BMI increases, while several antidepressants corresponded to less improvement in psychopathological symptom burden. Atypical antipsychotics showed the strongest prospective reductions in AMI. These findings highlight the value of prospective, real-world monitoring to inform pharmacological strategies in treatment-resistant eating disorders.

Indexed as

Anorexia NervosaAntipsychoticsBMImood stabilizersPsychopharmacologyReal-worldstudySymptom burden

Identifiers

PMID41669625
PMCPMC12883831

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.