Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide/Glucagon-Like-Peptide-1 Use Following 10-Session Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Binge-Eating Disorder: A Single-Case Experimental Design.
Ashley Dunford, Stefania Yee, Jennifer J Thomas et al.
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Case in brief
A 37-year-old woman with binge-eating disorder and obesity (body mass index 68.9 kg/m²) presented to an outpatient eating-disorder clinic. During 3 months of cognitive-behavioural therapy, her binge frequency and eating-disorder cognitions decreased. She then received tirzepatide for 9 months, with binge frequency remaining low and dietary restraint absent. Eating-disorder cognitions continued to decline, and she lost 39 pounds. The authors reported eating-disorder remission without serious adverse events. This single-case experimental design describes outcomes after sequential psychotherapy and medication; it cannot establish that tirzepatide caused the subsequent changes.
What made this case unusual
The report describes tirzepatide use after eating-disorder-focused CBT, with sustained low binge frequency and no dietary restraint during medication treatment—an important clinical question given uncertainty about GIP/GLP-1 agonists in patients with eating disorders.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
In this case, binge frequency and eating-disorder cognitions improved during CBT before tirzepatide was introduced; assess eating-disorder symptoms and behaviours when considering these medications in patients with binge-eating disorder.
Why it matters
The authors note that further research is needed to clarify the risks and benefits of GIP/GLP-1 agonists for patients with eating disorders.