Psych Vivas · Specialty psychiatry — eating disorders
Anorexia nervosa — structured clinical viva
Fellowship viva on adult AN: medical instability, Attia olanzapine evidence, CBT-E/MANTRA/SSCM, refeeding, capacity and coercion ethics.
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Target exams
Interpretation
Reveal interpretation
This is adult binge-purge AN with medical risk (bradycardia, QTc concern, purging, chronic course). “Olanzapine at home only” is inadequate: medication is at best an adjunct with modest BMI effect in adult RCT evidence and does not replace medical monitoring, nutritional rehabilitation, or specialist psychotherapy.[1][4]
Medical plan. Same-day senior medical review; likely admission for monitoring, electrolytes (phosphate/K/Mg especially if refeeding), ECG observation, and supervised nutrition under MEED/MARSIPAN-type principles. Purging adds electrolyte risk.[4][6]
Psychotherapy. Adult options with trial lineage include CBT-E, MANTRA, and SSCM; SWAN and earlier three-psychotherapy trials support structured specialist approaches. Prior “therapy never works” needs fidelity check (was it ED-specific? was weight restoration attempted?).[2][3]
Olanzapine. Attia 2019: modest BMI advantage vs placebo in outpatients; psychological symptom superiority not the main story; counsel sedation/metabolic effects; start low if used, never as sole plan while unstable.[1]
Capacity/compulsory care. Decision-specific assessment for admission/NG feeding. If incapacity and life-threatening risk, jurisdiction-specific compulsory frameworks with least restrictive means, second opinion, ethics — partner cannot alone authorise adult compulsory treatment without legal process.[5]
Key points
[1] [2] [5]References
- [1]Attia E, Steinglass JE, Walsh BT, et al. Olanzapine Versus Placebo in Adult Outpatients With Anorexia Nervosa: A Randomized Clinical Trial Am J Psychiatry, 2019.PMID 30654643
- [2]Byrne S, Wade T, Hay P, et al. A randomised controlled trial of three psychological treatments for anorexia nervosa Psychol Med, 2017.PMID 28552083
- [3]McIntosh VV, Jordan J, Carter FA, et al. Three psychotherapies for anorexia nervosa: a randomized, controlled trial Am J Psychiatry, 2005.PMID 15800147
- [4]Sachs KV, Harnke B, Mehler PS, et al. Cardiovascular complications of anorexia nervosa: A systematic review Int J Eat Disord, 2016.PMID 26710932
- [5]Touyz S, Aouad P, Carney T, et al. Clinical, legal and ethical implications of coercion and compulsory treatment in eating disorders: do rapid review findings identify clear answers or more muddy waters? J Eat Disord, 2024.PMID 39425146
- [6]Garber AK, Cheng J, Accurso EC, et al. Short-term Outcomes of the Study of Refeeding to Optimize Inpatient Gains for Patients With Anorexia Nervosa JAMA Pediatr, 2021.PMID 33074282