Augmentation strategy with olanzapine in resistant obsessive compulsive disorder: an Italian long-term open-label study

• Published in: Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford) 2005-07, Vol.19 (4), p.392-394
• Main Authors: Marazziti, Donatella, Pfanner, Chiara, Dell’osso, Bernardo, Ciapparelli, Antonio, Presta, Silvio, Corretti, Giorgio, Di Nasso, Elena, Mungai, Francesco, Dell’osso, Liliana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antidepressants; Antipsychotics; Benzodiazepines - adverse effects; Benzodiazepines - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Bipolar Disorder - drug therapy; Bipolar Disorder - psychology; Comorbidity; Dosage and administration; Drug Resistance; Drug therapy; Female; Humans; Italy; Long-Term Care; Male; Medical sciences; Neuropharmacology; Obsessive compulsive disorder; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - complications; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - drug therapy; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - psychology; Olanzapine; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Serotonin; Serotonin uptake inhibitors; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - adverse effects; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0269-8811; 1461-7285
• DOI: 10.1177/0269881105053299

The present study reports the results of an open-label trial on the use of the combination of olanzapine (an atypical antipsychotic) serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) in 26 resistant outpatients affected by resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). All patients had been suffering from OCD, according to DSM IV criteria, for at least 2 years and had different comorbid disorders; they had been treated with an SRI at adequate dosages for at least 6 months, or had tried different augmentation strategies with no or poor response. As a result, olanzapine was added and continued for 1 year. After 12 weeks of this regimen, most of the patients (17) had shown a reduction in OC symptoms, as assessed by a decrease in the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale total score, which continued throughout subsequent months. Only mild side-effects were recorded and no patient halted the treatment. The addition of olanzapine would appear to be a useful short- and long-term strategy for augmenting SRI effectiveness in resistant OCD patients, especially in those presenting comorbidity with bipolar disorders.