Effectiveness of Antibiotic Treatment for Reducing Binge Eating and Improving Digestive Function in Bulimia Nervosa

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2011-11-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: Female

Summary

This study will determine the effectiveness of the antibiotic erythromycin in enhancing gastrointestinal function and decreasing the frequency of binge eating in people with bulimia nervosa.

• Phase: Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: New York State Psychiatric Institute
• Collaborator: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• Treatments: Erythromycin; Erythromycin Estolate; Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate; Erythromycin stearate

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Meets criteria for bulimia nervosa

• Duration of illness is greater than 1 year

• Self-induces vomiting

• Weighs 80%-120 % of ideal weight

Exclusion Criteria:

• Significant medical illness

• Current or lifetime history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or other psychotic disorder, as defined by American Psychiatric Association criteria

• Moderate to severe depression, as defined by a score greater than 18 on the Hamilton Depression Scales

• Current diagnosis of organic mental disorder, factitious disorder, or malingering

• History of a personality disorder (e.g., schizotypal, borderline, or antisocial) that might interfere with assessment or compliance with the study procedures

• At risk for suicide

• Current psychotropic medications and current medications that affect GI function or that inhibit or induce cytochrome three A gene expression

• Currently pregnant, lactating, or planning to become pregnant

• Drug or alcohol abuse within the 3 months prior to study entry

• Abnormal EKG at baseline or 1 week following each upward dosage adjustment

• Anemia

• Known intolerance to erythromycin, or related antibiotics

• Abnormal results on liver function tests

• Electrolyte abnormalities