Binge-eating episode as a direct cause of death in a young individual without eating disorder

Abstract

Binge eating is characterised by the ingestion of large quantities of food in a short time. Cases in the literature deal exclusively with gastric perforation in people with a history of anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder or bulimia nervosa.

We report the case of a young woman with no previous diagnosis of mental illness and a history of only two binge-eating episodes that occurred a few years earlier. She died suddenly during a binge-eating episode from stomach rupture resulting from a single perforation of the stomach with leakage of food material within the abdominal cavity. There was no sign of gastric necrosis or peritonitis. The deceased died quickly.

Our case, which appears unique in the literature, shows that there is a risk of death even in people with no diagnosis of eating disorders and a history of only few and isolated binge-eating episodes. Physicians should carefully investigate a patient's history to assess any risks.