Impact of the Addition of a Specific and Personalized Body Approach by Osteopathic Treatment in the Care of Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa.

Summary

Abstract:

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a common pathology affecting mainly women (sex ratio 1/10), which starts most often during adolescence. The prognosis of the AN remains poor (10% of deaths and high risk of chronicity). Body dissatisfaction, disturbances in recognition and identification of body sensations are some of the key symptoms of AN. There is, however, a contrast between this consensual observation of the importance of troubles in body image in AN, and the relative deficit of specifically targeted body treatments. Our proposal for a body approach specifically dedicated to AN is based on the understanding that posture, breathing, muscle tension and body perception are closely linked to our psychological and emotional state, and are therefore disturbed in patients with AN.

The purpose of this monocentric randomized controlled trial is to evaluate if a targeted osteopathic protocol treatment for AN in addition to as-usual care is significantly more effective compared to as-usual care.

Methods: Seventy-two female patients meeting the inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups : one receiving the specific osteopathic treatment targeted for AN in addition to the as-usual care (group A) and the other one, the as-usual care (group B). The patients of group A will receive 5 sessions of osteopathic treatment for 25 minutes. Soft specific palpatory techniques on the diaphragm, digestive system and cervical region will be realized. The as-usual care is defined by the multidisciplinary approach recommended by the high authority of health. The primary outcome is the evaluation of interoceptive sensibility and secondary outcomes include clinical and psychopathology-related symptoms and assessment of somatic dysfonctions' evolution. A qualitative study will also be carried out, applying the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis method. Patients will be included for a maximum of 14 weeks between the inclusion time and the last evaluation.

Discussion:

If the results of the study are positive (statistically significant effectiveness of this body approach in addition to as-usual care compared to as-usual treatment), patients with anorexia will be benefit from the possibility of additional treatment that is effective, relatively inexpensive, non-invasive and non-pharmacological.

Conditions

• Anorexia Nervosa
• Osteopathic Medicine

Interventions

OTHER

Osteopathic treatment

Targeted osteopathic protocol for AN : 5 sessions of osteopathic treatment that are spaced around one week between 2 sessions. Soft specific palpatory techniques on the diaphragm, digestive system and cervical region will be realized during the session of 25 minutes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Fondation de l'Avenir

  collaborator OTHER

• Institut Mutualiste Montsouris

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Aurélie LETRANCHANT, M.D. · Institut Mutualiste Montsouris

• Maurice CORCOS, M.D., Ph.D. · Institut Mutualiste Montsouris

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

13 Years

Max Age

20 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-02-06

Primary Completion

2022-04-01

Completion

2022-04-01

Countries

• France

Study Locations