Past history of anorexia nervosa in women with obsessive-compulsive disorder

The case notes of 280 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder were examined retrospectively; 16 of the 151 females had a past history of anorexia nervosa. Not one male obsessive-compulsive had such a history, nor did any of 100 agoraphobics (83% female) studied as a contrasting anxiety disorder. Compared to nonanorexic cases of obsessive-compulsive disorder, the anorexics' were younger, their obsessive-compulsive problems began earlier, and they were more often single. No significant phenomenological differences were detected compared to nonanorexic obsessive-compulsive women. In conclusion, a history of anorexia is frequent among women (but not men) with obsessive-compulsive disorder but not agoraphobia.