Obsessive-compulsive disorder in adolescent schizophrenia patients.
OBJECTIVE
The co-occurrence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adult patients with schizophrenia has been increasingly recognized. However, the rate of OCD comorbidity in adolescent schizophrenia patients has yet to be systematically evaluated.


METHODS
The rate of DSM-IV OCD was evaluated in 50 adolescent inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The severity of schizophrenia and OCD symptoms was assessed with the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale.


RESULTS
Thirteen schizophrenia patients (26.0%) also met the DSM-IV criteria for OCD. This subgroup scored significantly higher on the SANS subscale for affective flattening or blunting. The total SANS score positively correlated with the total Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale score.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of adolescent schizophrenia inpatients have concomitant OCD. A prospective study is needed to evaluate the clinical course, response to treatment, and prognosis for this complex disorder.
Adolescent Inpatient Department, Shalvata Mental Health Center, Hod Hasharon, Israel.
Allon
A
Nechmad
Gideon
G
Ratzoni
Michael
M
Poyurovsky
Sorin
S
Meged
Gideon
G
Avidan
Camil
C
Fuchs
Yuval
Y
Bloch
Ronit
R
Weizman
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index