title: Citalopram in refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder: an open study.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of citalopram in patients with refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) which had not responded to previous antiobsessional treatments. Eighteen patients were selected for this study: they had been suffering from OCD, according to DSM-IV criteria, for at least 2 years and had various comorbid disorders. All had been treated with serotonin reuptake inhibitors at adequate dosages for at least 6 months, but had failed to respond. Consequently, they were shifted to citalopram, titrated up to the dose of 40 mg, within 2 weeks. After 4 months of this regimen, 14 out of the total of 18 patients had shown a reduction in OC symptoms, as assessed by the decrease in the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale total score; no relevant side-effects were reported, except for a mild nausea in four patients within the first few days of treatment, which quickly disappeared. The use of citalopram would appear to be an useful strategy in refractory OCD cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Italy. dmarazzi@psico.med.unipi.it
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marazziti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gemignani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciapparelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Presta
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Nasso
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pfanner
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Cassano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015283:Citalopram / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors