Abstract
Among individuals with eating disorders (ED), those with co‐occurring autism are often considered to have more severe presentations and poorer prognosis. However, previous findings have been contradictory and limited by small sample size and/or cross‐sectional assessment of autistic traits. We examine the hypothesis that autism diagnosis and autism polygenic score (PGS) are associated with increased ED severity in a large ED cohort using a broad range of ED severity indicators. Our cohort included 3189 individuals (64 males) born 1977–2000 with current or previous anorexia nervosa who participated in the Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative‐Sweden (ANGI‐SE) and for whom genotypes and linkage to national registers were available. We identified 134 (4.2%) individuals with registered autism diagnoses. Individuals with confirmed autism diagnosis had significantly more severe ED across three sets of severity indicators. Some of the largest effects were found for the proportion of individuals who attempted suicide and who received tube feeding (higher in autism), and for the time spent in inpatient care (longer in autism). Results for autism PGS were not statistically significant. Adapting ED treatment to the needs of individuals with co‐occurring autism is an important research direction to improve treatment outcome in this group.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
