Obsessive-compulsive disorder: evaluation of clinical and biological circadian parameters during fluoxetine treatment.
BACKGROUND
Many biological abnormalities have been found in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The circadian rhythm investigations of different clinical and biological parameters may provide a comparison with depression. Fluoxetine is one of the efficient drugs in alleviating symptoms of OCD. The effect of fluoxetine can highlight some clues to the neurotransmitter alterations in the disorder.


OBJECTIVE
The present study investigated clinical and biological circadian modifications in OCD patients during a fluoxetine treatment.


METHODS
Daily clinical symptoms, and circadian rhythms of axillary temperature, plasma cortisol and plasma melatonin were assessed in eight patients suffering from OCD. These parameters were compared in the same patients, before and after an 8-week fluoxetine treatment period.


RESULTS
A therapeutic effect of fluoxetine was obtained. No significant differences were observed either in daily clinical variations or in biological circadian rhythms measured before and after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The therapeutic efficacy of fluoxetine was not related to the biological parameters assessed.
Millet
B
B
Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Sainte-Anne, 7 rue Cabanis, F-75674 Paris Cedex 14, France. Millet.Bruno@wanadoo.fr
Touitou
Y
Y
Poirier
M F
MF
Bourdel
M C
MC
Amado
I
I
Hantouche
E G
EG
Bogdan
A
A
Olié
J P
JP
D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D005473:Fluoxetine; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D008550:Melatonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors