An open trial of plasma exchange in childhood-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder without poststreptococcal exacerbations.
Patients with childhood-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with symptom exacerbations following streptococcal infections benefit from treatment with plasma exchange. In this study, 5 patients with treatment-refractory OCD without a history of streptococcus-related exacerbations underwent an open 2-week course of therapeutic plasma exchange. Behavioral ratings, completed at baseline and 4 weeks after the initial treatment, included the Clinical Global Impressions Scale and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. All 5 patients completed the trial with few side effects, but none showed significant improvement. Plasma exchange does not benefit children and adolescents with OCD who do not have streptococcus-related exacerbations.
Nicolson
R
R
Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. nicolson@box-n.nih.gov
Swedo
S E
SE
Lenane
M
M
Bedwell
J
J
Wudarsky
M
M
Gochman
P
P
Hamburger
S D
SD
Rapoport
J L
JL
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome