title: Clinical outcome in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder after discontinuation of SRI treatment: results from a two-year follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Combined treatment with serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SRI) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common therapy approach for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, it is a matter of debate whether discontinuation of SRI after combined treatment leads to relapse.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four consecutively admitted patients suffering from OCD were included in the study. Thirty-seven patients were treated with CBT alone, and 37 patients received combined CBT and SRI treatment. Of these latter patients, seventeen discontinued SRI treatment during the follow-up period (1 and 2 years after inpatient treatment). OCD symptom severity was determined by Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), and mood was assessed by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the initial treatment, scores for Y-BOCS (p < 0.001), HDRS (p < 0.001) and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) (p < 0.001) improved significantly in all groups. Reassessment two years later revealed that a) OCD symptom severity and depression scores were similar between the groups and b) discontinuation of SRI did not prompt by a recurrence of symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We interpret our results as suggesting that discontinuation of SRI treatment may be considered in formerly combined treated OCD patients after stable remission.
authors.affiliation: Universitaetsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Klinik fuer Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany. kordon.a@psychiatry.uni-luebeck.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kordon
authors.forename: Kai G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kahl
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Broocks
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Voderholzer
authors.forename: Hildegard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rasche-Räuchle
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hohagen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors