Placebo-controlled study of pimozide augmentation of fluoxetine in body dysmorphic disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Although body dysmorphic disorder often responds to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), most patients do not respond or respond only partially. However, placebo-controlled studies of augmentation of SRIs have not been done. Furthermore, although 40%-50% of patients are delusional, studies of antipsychotic medications have not been done.


METHODS
Twenty-eight patients with body dysmorphic disorder or its delusional variant participated in an 8-week, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study of pimozide augmentation of fluoxetine.


RESULTS
Pimozide was not more effective than placebo: two (18.2%) of 11 subjects responded to pimozide and three (17.6%) of 17 subjects responded to placebo. There was no significant effect of baseline delusionality on endpoint severity of body dysmorphic disorder. Delusionality did not decrease significantly more with pimozide than placebo.


CONCLUSIONS
Pimozide augmentation of fluoxetine treatment for body dysmorphic disorder was not more effective than placebo, even in more delusional patients. Further studies of augmentation for SRIs are needed.
Phillips
Katharine A
KA
Brown Medical School and Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Blvd., Providence, RI 02906, USA. Katharine_Phillips@brown.edu
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003702:Delusions / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010868:Pimozide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D005473:Fluoxetine; D010868:Pimozide; D010919:Placebos; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors