The Effect of Norgestimate/Ethinyl Estradiol on Bone Density in Pediatric Subjects With Anorexia Nervosa

Although oral contraceptives are prescribed in an effort to prevent bone loss in adolescents with anorexia nervosa, there have been no previous definitive placebo-controlled studies evaluating the effectiveness of oral contraceptive treatment on bone mineral density in pediatric females with anorexia nervosa. This is a randomized (patients are assigned different treatments based on chance), multicenter, double-blind (neither the patient nor the physician knows whether drug or placebo is being taken, or at what dosage), placebo-controlled study to evaluate the bone mineral density in pediatric patients with anorexia nervosa following treatment with norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol or placebo for 13 consecutive 28-day cycles. Norgestimate/Ethinyl Estradiol is packaged in a 28-day blistercard. Each tablet contains the following: a) Days 1-7 0.180 mg norgestimate/0.035 mg ethinyl estradiol b) Days 8-14 0.215 mg norgestimate/0.035 mg ethinyl estradiol c) Days 15-21 0.250 mg norgestimate/0.035 mg ethinyl estradiol d) Days 22-28 inactive tablets;One tablet is to be taken once daily by mouth. After 28 days, the next cycle is started the following day without interruption. Color-matched placebo tablets are identically pack