The drug topiramate, usually used as an anti-seizure treatment, can reduce binging and purging in women with bulimia nervosa and improve their quality of life. The results are comparable to those seen with other medications used for bulimia patients. However, topiramate is most suitable as a short-term treatment. Researchers from the Inntalklinik in Simbach am Inn, Germany, assigned 60 women with bulimia to 10 weeks of either daily topiramate treatment or inactive placebo treatment. The women, who were at least 18 years old and had bulimia for at least 1 year, kept weekly diaries of their binging and purging episodes. Eleven patients in the topiramate group showed a greater than 50 percent reduction in their frequency of binging and purging, compared with one patient in the placebo group. On average, patients on the drug lost 3.8 kilograms more than patients on placebo. Patients given topiramate also showed a much greater improvement in health-related quality of life than those assigned to the placebo. The lowered impairment in social and occupational activities and the significantly improved emotional well-being indicate essentially improved health and social life. While this study is the largest investigation to date of topiramate for the treatment of bulimia nervosa, it's still limited because of its small size and the fact that only moderate cases were included. Additional research is, however, needed to see if these results can be replicated and how long-lasting the benefits are. Studies including male bulimia patients and patients with more severe symptoms are also needed.
International Journal of Eating Disorders,
December 2005