title: Return of symptoms after discontinuation of clomipramine in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: To evaluate the need for maintenance drug therapy in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, the authors assessed 21 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder who manifested sustained improvement during 5 to 27 months of clomipramine treatment and who agreed to participate in a double-blind discontinuation study. Of 18 patients who completed the study, 16 had substantial recurrence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms by the end of the 7-week placebo period. In addition, 11 had a significant increase in depressive symptoms. Treatment duration before discontinuation of clomipramine was not related to the frequency or severity of obsessive-compulsive or depressive symptom appearance. These findings suggest that prolonged drug treatment may be warranted for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Science, NIMH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Pato
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zohar-Kadouch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zohar
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D002997:Clomipramine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012008:Recurrence; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D002997:Clomipramine