Risk factors for early treatment discontinuation in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Mediators of Ethnic Differences in Dropout Rates From a Randomized Controlled Treatment Trial Among Latinx and Non-Latinx White Primary Care Patients With Anxiety Disorders

ABSTRACT

Disparities in treatment engagement and adherence based on ethnicity have been widely recognized but are inadequately understood. Few studies have examined treatment dropout among Latinx and non-Latinx White (NLW) individuals. Using Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Service Use (A behavioral model of families' use of health services. 1968; J Health Soc Behav. 1995; 36:1-10) as a framework, we examine whether pretreatment variables (categorized as predisposing, enabling, and need factors) mediate the relationship between ethnicity and premature dropout in a sample of Latinx and NLW primary care patients with anxiety disorders who participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of cognitive behavioral therapy. Data from a total of 353 primary care patients were examined; 96 Latinx and 257 NLW patients participated. Results indicated that Latinx patients dropped out of treatment more often than NLW patients, resulting in roughly 58% of Latinx patients failing to complete treatment compared with 42% of NLW, and approximately 29% of Latinx patients dropping out before engaging in modules related to cognitive restructuring or exposure, relative to 11% of NLW patients. Mediation analyses suggest that social support and somatization partially explained the relationship between ethnicity and treatment dropout, highlighting the importance of these variables in understanding treatment disparities.

The correlates of social phobia in OCD: Findings from a large clinical sample

OBJECTIVES

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder, often complicated with comorbidities. Social phobia (SP) is the most frequent co-occurring anxiety disorder in OCD, associated with increased clinical severity. However, no study had examined the relevance of interpersonal processes in this comorbidity, which are at the core of SP. This study characterized the clinical (i.e., symptom profile, age of onset, chronicity, and comorbidity), vulnerability (i.e., childhood trauma, negative life events), and interpersonal (attachment style, expressed emotion, and social support) correlates of comorbid SP in a large sample of OCD patients.

METHODS

We analysed the data of 382 OCD patients participating in the Netherlands Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Association (NOCDA) study. We examined the correlates of SP in OCD using self-report questionnaires and structured clinical interviews. In addition, data of 312 non-OCD SP patients were drawn from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), to compare the age of onset of SP between groups. Descriptive univariate analyses were followed by backward stepwise logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Social phobia was present among approximately 20% of OCD patients. Social phobia in OCD was associated with increased depression severity and decreased ratings of secure attachment style. Among OCD patients, SP had a significantly earlier age onset as compared to SP in non-OCD patients.

CONCLUSION

Social phobia in OCD might render a vulnerable clinical picture, characterized with early onset of SP symptoms, insecure attachment style, and increased depressive symptoms. Future studies should use prospective designs to better understand the nature of comorbid SP in OCD.

PRACTITIONER POINTS

Approximately one fifth of OCD patients were diagnosed with comorbid social phobia in a large representative clinical sample. OCD patients with comorbid social phobia presented with a vulnerable clinical picture, characterized with increased depression severity and decreased ratings of secure attachment style. Social phobia in OCD was associated with an earlier AOO as compared to the AOO of social phobia without OCD. The findings are limited by a cross-sectional design; thus, causality could not be assessed. Research is needed to further examine the mechanisms of comorbid social phobia in OCD.

The impact of comorbid body dysmorphic disorder on the response to sequential pharmacological trials for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Our aim was to investigate the impact of comorbid body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) on the response to sequential pharmacological trials in adult obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. The sequential trial initially involved fluoxetine monotherapy followed by one of three randomized, add-on strategies: placebo, clomipramine or quetiapine. We included 138 patients in the initial phase of fluoxetine, up to 80 mg or the maximum tolerated dosage, for 12 weeks. We invited 70 non-responders to participate in the add-on trial; as 54 accepted, we allocated 18 to each treatment group and followed them for an additional 12 weeks. To evaluate the combined effects of sex, age, age at onset, initial severity, type of augmentation and BDD on the response to sequential treatments, we constructed a model using generalized estimating equations (GEE). Of the 39 patients who completed the study (OCD-BDD, n = 13; OCD-non-BDD, n = 26), the OCD-BDD patients were less likely to be classified as responders than the OCD-non-BDD patients (Pearson Chi-Square = 4.4; p = 0.036). In the GEE model, BDD was not significantly associated with a worse response to sequential treatments (z-robust = 1.77; p = 0.07). The predictive potential of BDD regarding sequential treatment strategies for OCD did not survive when the analyses were controlled for other clinical characteristics.

Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia in OCD patients: clinical profile and possible treatment implications

OBJECTIVE

Panic Disorder (PD) and agoraphobia (AG) are frequently comorbid with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but the correlates of these comorbidities in OCD are fairly unknown. The study aims were to: 1) estimate the prevalence of PD with or without AG (PD), AG without panic (AG) and PD and/or AG (PD/AG) in a large clinical sample of OCD patients and 2) compare the characteristics of individuals with and without these comorbid conditions.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study with 1001 patients of the Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders using several assessment instruments, including the Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders. Bivariate analyses were followed by logistic regression models.

RESULTS

The lifetime prevalence of PD was 15.3% (N=153), of AG 4.9% (N=49), and of PD/AG 20.2% (N=202). After logistic regression, hypochondriasis and specific phobia were common correlates of the three study groups. PD comorbidity was also associated with higher levels of anxiety, having children, major depression, bipolar I, generalized anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorders. Other independent correlates of AG were: dysthymia, bipolar II disorder, social phobia, impulsive-compulsive internet use, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Patients with PD/AG were also more likely to be married and to present high anxiety, separation anxiety disorder, major depression, impulsive-compulsive internet use, generalized anxiety, posttraumatic stress and binge eating disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Some distinct correlates were obtained for PD and AG in OCD patients, indicating the need for more specific and tailored treatment strategies for individuals with each of these clinical profiles.

Commonly asked questions in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and often a highly disabling condition that was considered untreatable before the 1960s. The advent of serotonin reuptake inhibitors and exposure and response prevention revolutionized the treatment of OCD. Although they are still the first line treatments for OCD, new treatments like augmentation strategies, brain stimulation techniques, psychosurgery, newer forms of psychotherapy (like cognitive therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy) have been added to the armamentarium. With the available treatment strategies, many patients can achieve at least partial remission of symptoms. Nevertheless, the plethora of information gives rise to many questions on their application for practicing clinicians. We provide evidence-based responses to these questions and suggest a broad guideline for treatment of OCD.

Clinical predictors of long-term outcome in obsessive-compulsive disorder

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to investigate demographic and clinical factors associated with the long-term outcome of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

METHODS

A hundred ninety-six previously untreated patients with DSM-IV criteria OCD completed a 12-week randomized open trial of group cognitive-behavioral therapy (GCBT) or fluoxetine, followed by 21 months of individualized, uncontrolled treatment, according to international guidelines for OCD treatment. OCD severity was assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) at different times over the follow-up period. Demographics and several clinical variables were assessed at baseline.

RESULTS

Fifty percent of subjects improved at least 35% from baseline, and 21.3% responded fully (final Y-BOCS score < or = 8). Worse prognosis was associated with earlier age at onset of OCD (P = 0.045), longer duration of illness (P = 0.001) presence of at least one comorbid psychiatric disorder (P = 0.001), comorbidity with a mood disorder (P = 0.002), higher baseline Beck-Depression scores (P = 0.011), positive family history of tics (P = 0.008), and positive family history of anxiety disorders (P = 0.008). Type of initial treatment was not associated with long-term outcome. After correction for multiple testing, the presence of at least one comorbid disorder, the presence of a depressive disorder, and duration of OCD remained significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients under cognitive-behavioral or pharmacological treatment improved continuously in the long run, regardless of initial treatment modality or degree of early response, suggesting that OCD patients benefit from continuous treatment. Psychiatric comorbidity, especially depressive disorders, may impair the long-term outcome of OCD patients.

Rates and correlates of nonadherence to treatment in obsessive-compulsive disorder

The goal of this cross-sectional study was to identify the rates and correlates of treatment refusal and/or dropout in a treatment-seeking sample of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Specifically, we investigated the relationships between treatment adherence and different OCD dimensions, intelligence, and insight into OCD. The study involved 60 patients with OCD who were being treated in a specialized university OCD clinic. The patients' adherence to standard treatment was assessed with the Treatment Adherence Survey-Patient Version. Patients were also evaluated with the following instruments: the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview 6.0, the Dimensional Yale-Brown ObsessiveCompulsive Scale-short version, the Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Sheehan Disability Scale, and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. The patients with OCD who refused to undertake CBT (46%) displayed greater rates of obsessions with aggressive/violent content. Among patients who started CBT (n=32), 51% withdrew before completing therapy. Patients who refused medication for OCD (52%) displayed greater severity of OCD (particularly hoarding), less insight into symptoms, and greater disability. Of the patients with OCD who were given drug therapy (n=58), 61% reported having taken their medication less frequently and/or at a smaller dose than prescribed or discontinuing the use of medication altogether. Treatment nonadherence is common among patients with OCD. This study found that aggressive/violent obsessions were associated with nonadherence to CBT, while greater severity of OCD (particularly hoarding) and poorer insight were associated with poorer adherence to drug therapy. Future research is needed to clarify whether these OCD phenotypes predict or are the consequence of treatment nonadherence.

Social phobia in obsessive-compulsive disorder: prevalence and correlates

BACKGROUND

Social Phobia (SP) is an anxiety disorder that frequently co-occurs with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); however, studies that evaluate clinical factors associated with this specific comorbidity are rare. The aim was to estimate the prevalence of SP in a large multicenter sample of OCD patients and compare the characteristics of individuals with and without SP.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study with 1001 patients of the Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders using several assessment instruments, including the Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders. Univariate analyses were followed by logistic regression.

RESULTS

Lifetime prevalence of SP was 34.6% (N=346). The following variables remained associated with SP comorbidity after logistic regression: male sex, lower socioeconomic status, body dysmorphic disorder, specific phobia, dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, Tourette syndrome and binge eating disorder.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional design does not permit the inference of causal relationships; some retrospective information may have been subject to recall bias; all patients were being treated in tertiary services, therefore generalization of the results to other samples of OCD sufferers should be cautious. Despite the large sample size, some hypotheses may not have been confirmed due to the small number of cases with these characteristics (type 2 error).

CONCLUSION

SP is frequent among OCD patients and co-occurs with other disorders that have common phenomenological features. These findings have important implications for clinical practice, indicating the need for broader treatment approaches for individuals with this profile.

Current management of obsessive and phobic states

Obsessional states show an average point prevalence of 1%-3% and a lifetime prevalence of 2%-2.5%. Most treatment-seeking patients with obsessions continue to experience significant symptoms after 2 years of prospective follow-up. A significant burden of impairment, distress, and comorbidity characterize the course of the illness, leading to an increased need for a better understanding of the nature and management of this condition. This review aims to give a representation of the current pharmacological and psychotherapeutic strategies used in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Antidepressants (clomipramine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are generally the first-line choice used to handle obsessional states, showing good response rates and long-term positive outcomes. About 40% of patients fail to respond to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. So far, additional pharmacological treatment strategies have been shown to be effective, ie, administration of high doses of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, as well as combinations of different drugs, such as dopamine antagonists, are considered efficacious and well tolerated strategies in terms of symptom remission and side effects. Psychotherapy also plays an important role in the management of obsessive-compulsive disorder, being effective for a wide range of symptoms, and many studies have assessed its long-term efficacy, especially when added to appropriate pharmacotherapy. In this paper, we also give a description of the clinical and psychological features likely to characterize patients refractory to treatment for this illness, with the aim of highlighting the need for greater attention to more patient-oriented management of the disease.