CITALOPRAM IN THE TREATMENT OF OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER - AN OPEN PILOT-STUDY

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common anxiety disorder, whic h often causes significant impairment of the affected individual's soc ial, occupational or interpersonal functioning. Previous reports sugge st that the disorder may be treated with the tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine, and also with the more recently introduced selective ser otonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, s ertraline and paroxetine. The present 24-week open pilot study was des igned to examine the efficacy, appropriate dose range, side-effects an d clinical usefulness of citalopram in OCD. A total of 29 OCD patients were included in the study, of whom 76% showed alleviation of symptom s as evaluated by various self- and observer-rated scales, such as the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. In most cases the citalopram d oses used were in most cases 40 or 60 mg daily, and the treatment was well tolerated. The most commonly experienced adverse events during th e study were nausea, vomiting, increased dreaming and decreased sleep. Diminished sexual desire and orgasmic dysfunction were also reported. Despite having the limitations of an open study, our results suggest that citalopram may be effective in the treatment of obsessive-compuls ive disorder.