Estrogen administration improves the trajectory of eating disorder pathology in oligo-amenorrheic athletes: A randomized controlled trial.
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ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:Estrogen replacement prevents worsening body dissatisfaction with weight gain in adolescents with anorexia nervosa. However, the impact of estrogen administration on eating disorder (ED) pathology in normal-weight young women with exercise-induced amenorrhea is unknown. We hypothesized that (1) normal-weight oligo-amenorrheic athletes (OA) would show greater ED pathology than eumenorrheic athletes (EA) and non-athletes (NA), and (2) 12 months of estrogen replacement would improve those symptoms. TRIAL DESIGN:Randomized trial. METHODS:One hundred seventeen OA, 50?EA, and 41 NA completed the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) for measures of Drive for Thinness (DT) and Body Dissatisfaction (BD) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18 (TFEQ-R18). OA were then randomized to receive 100 mcg transdermal 17?-estradiol with cyclic progesterone (PATCH), an oral contraceptive pill (30 mcg ethinyl estradiol?+?0.15?mg desogestrel) (PILL), or no estrogen (E-) for 12 months. Data are reported for the subset that completed questionnaires at 0 and 12 months between 11/2009 and 10/2016. RESULTS:OA showed higher EDI-2 DT and TFEQ-R18 Cognitive Restraint scores than EA and NA and higher EDI-2 BD scores than EA. Over 12 months, the E+?group (PATCH+PILL), compared to E-, showed improved trajectories for EDI-2 DT and BD scores. In 3-group comparisons, PATCH outperformed E- for decreases in EDI-2 DT and BD, and the PILL for TFEQ-R18 Uncontrolled Eating. CONCLUSION:In OA, 12 months of estrogen replacement improves ED pathology trajectories, emphasizing the broad importance of normalizing estrogen levels. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00946192.
SUBMITTER: Plessow F
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6664444 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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