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Table 1 Definitions of recovery and remission, according to individual studies identified by the literature search

From: What happens after treatment? A systematic review of relapse, remission, and recovery in anorexia nervosa

Authors

Criteria

Duration

Study quality

Definitions of Recovery

 Martin, 1985 [28]

“Excellent”: > 90% of their ideal weight, regular menstrual patterns, and eating and social patterns were normal

Not specified

Fair

 Norring and Sohlberg, 1993 [34]

“Well” defined as having no eating disorder diagnosis or remnants of the weight and/or shape preoccupation

Not specified

Good

 Eckert et al., 1995 [29]

≥85% of ideal body weight, cyclical menses, and no significant disturbance in eating or weight control behavior or body image disturbance

Not specified

Good

 Strober et al., 1997 [4]

Free of all criterion symptoms of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa

8 weeks

Good

 Fichter and Quadflieg, 1999 [21]

Outcome “good” defined using Morgan-Russell criteria

Not specified

Fair

 Pike, 1998 [8]

≥90% of ideal body weight or BMI ≥20, resumption of menses, absence of binge eating or compensatory behaviors, Eating Disorder Examination subscales within 2 SD of normal

8 weeks

Fair

 Herzog, et al., 1999 [32]

Absence of all symptoms or 1–2 residual symptoms—Psychiatric Status Rating (PRS) score of 1 or 2

8 weeks

Good

 Lowe et al., 2001 [22]

Outcome “good” defined using Morgan-Russell and PSR 1

Not specified

Good

 Kordy et al., 2002 [10]

AN-R: BMI > 19, no extreme fear of weight gain

AN-BP: BMI > 19, no extreme fear of weight gain, no vomiting or laxative abuse, no binges

12 months

Good

 Carter et al., 2004 [15]

BMI above 20

Not specified

Good

 Walsh et al., 2006 [14]

BMI above 19

No information

Good

 Eisler et al., 2007 [20]

Outcome “good” defined using Morgan-Russell criteria

Not specified

Good

 Bodell and Mayer, 2011 [24]

No DSM–IV criteria of AN

8 weeks

Fair

 Bardone-Cone et al., 2010 [30]

Full recovery: BMI ≥ 18.5, absence of binge-eating, purging or fasting for at least 3 months, not meeting criteria for current eating disorder, all EDE-Q subscales within 1 SD of normal

Partial recovery: same as above, but not needing to satisfy EDE-Q criterion

Not specified

Good

 Carter et al., 2012 [7]

BMI of 20 and reported no more than one BP episode before the end of treatment.

2 weeks BMI and no BP behaviors over the previous 28 days at the end of treatment

Good

Definitions of Full Remission

 Morgan and Hayward, 1988 [23]

≥85% of ideal body weight, regular menses, and no binge eating or purging behaviors

Not specified

Fair a

 Pike, 1998 [8]

≥90% of ideal body weight or BMI ≥20, resumption of menses, absence of binge eating or compensatory behaviors, EDE subscales within 2 SD of normal

Not specified

Fair

 Stice et al., 2000 [27]

BMI ≥17.5, regular menses, and no current subthreshold or full threshold eating disorder

Not specified

Good a

 Kordy et al., 2002 [10]

AN-R: BMI > 19, no extreme fear of weight gain

AN-BP: BMI > 19, no extreme fear of weight gain, no vomiting or laxative abuse, no binges

12 weeks

Good

 Keel et al., 2005 [17]

Absence of all symptoms or 1–2 residual symptoms—PSR score ≤2

8 weeks

Good

 Clausen, 2008 [18]

PSR score ≤2

12 weeks

Good

 Helverskov et al., 2010 [16]

Absence of all symptoms/1–2 Residual symptoms—PSR score of 1 or 2

12 weeks

Good

Definitions of Partial Remission

 Lowe et al., 2001 [22]

Outcome “improved” defined using Morgan-Russell criteria and PSR 2, 3, or 4

Not specified

Good

 Kordy et al., 2002 [10]

AN-R: BMI > 17.5

AN-BP: BMI > 17.5 in addition to ≤1 binge per week and no vomiting or laxative abuse

4 weeks

Good

 Clausen, 2008 [18]

PSR score ≤3

12 weeks

Good

 Helverskov et al., 2010 [16]

PSR score of 3

12 weeks

Good

  1. a No NHLBI systematic criteria available to rate this study type; quality rating reflects consensus agreement between two rater assessments