Quetiapine addition to serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment in patients with treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder: an open-label study.
OBJECTIVE
Although patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) benefit from treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), it is estimated that 40% to 60% of the patients remain unimproved. The objective of this study was to examine whether addition of the atypical antipsychotic quetiapine to SRIs is useful for patients with OCD who do not respond to SRI monotherapy.


METHODS
Ten patients with OCD (DSM-IV criteria) who had not responded to at least 3 previous treatments with an SRI at maximum dose and duration were assigned to receive quetiapine in addition to an SRI for 8 weeks. Treatment response was assessed using the Yale-Brown Obessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS).


RESULTS
Seven of 10 patients responded to the quetiapine addition. The mean +/- SD baseline YBOCS score of 31.4 +/- 7.8 dropped to a mean of 20.8 +/- 8.4 at endpoint with a mean reduction of 35.4%.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to show that treatment-refractory OCD patients may benefit from addition of quetiapine to ongoing SRI therapy.
Denys
Damiaan
D
Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands. D.A.J.P.denys@azu.nl
van Megen
Harold
H
Westenberg
Herman
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D017374:Paroxetine; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride