A double-blind desipramine substitution during long-term clomipramine treatment in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Twenty-six children and adolescents with severe primary obsessive-compulsive disorder receiving long-term clomipramine hydrochloride maintenance treatment (mean +/- SD, 17.1 +/- 8.3 months; range, 4 to 32 months) entered an 8-month double-blind desipramine hydrochloride substitution study to assess the necessity of continued drug treatment. All patients received clomipramine for the first 3 months, then half continued with clomipramine therapy (nonsubstituted group) and half had desipramine blindly substituted for the next 2 months; all subjects again received clomipramine for the last 3 study months. Eight (89%) of nine of the substituted and only two (18%) of 11 of the nonsubstituted group subjects relapsed during the 2-month comparison period. Long-term clomipramine treatment seems necessary for this population of children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, even patients receiving maintenance clomipramine treatment throughout the entire study had continued obsessive-compulsive symptoms, which varied in severity over time.
National Institute of Mental Health, Child Psychiatry Branch, Bethesda, MD 20892.
H L
HL
Leonard
S E
SE
Swedo
M C
MC
Lenane
D C
DC
Rettew
D L
DL
Cheslow
S D
SD
Hamburger
J L
JL
Rapoport
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002997:Clomipramine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence
D002997:Clomipramine; D003891:Desipramine