Acupuncture for the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa: a pilot study

INTERVENTION: Study group 1: Traditional Acupuncture while receiving their usual care at the Hills Private Hospital. Usual care is the participant's individually tailored Hills treatment which involves a combination of medical, pharmacological and psychological therapy and rehabilitation. Pragmatic acupuncture based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnosis will be used. Two treatments a week will be administered for the first three weeks while they are an inpatient and then weekly for three weeks during their attendance as an outpatient. Acupuncture will be applied bilaterally. Duration of each treatment is 45 minutes. Acupuncture needles will be inserted to tissue level and stimulated manually to elicit the needling sensation de qi and stimulated once more during this treatment session. Needles will be retained for a minimum of 20 minutes. Single‐use disposable stainless steel needles (0.25 x 40mm) will be used. All points will be located according to the WHO International Standard Acupuncture Point Locations that was agreed on at Tsukuba, Japan, November 2006. CONDITION: Anxiety in sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa Depression in sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa Eating behaviours in sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa Weight restoration in sufferers of Anorexia Nervosa. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Eating behaviour as measured by the Eating Disorder Inventory‐3 (EDI‐3) and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE‐Q v 16). Weight restoration measured by body weight and BMI SECONDARY OUTCOME: Analysis of acceptability of the intervention, views towards it, randomisation, likes and dislikes and expectancy and clinicians views of the intervention via self‐report Depression and anxiety as measured by the DAAS. Qualitative assessment of the perceptions of the intervention and the participants experience of it and its effects via an in‐depth interview Quality of life specific for those with eating disorders as measured by the EDQoL. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Participants 15 years or greater with a primary clinical diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa with purging and/or restricting subtype. Participants must be medical stable (e.g. heart rate of >40bpm, blood pressure > 90/60mmHg, no electrolyte abnormalities and temperature > 36 degrees C. They must be receiving treatment at the Hills Private Hospital and also have the ability to provide informed written consent.