HOARDING AND TREATMENT RESPONSE IN 38 NONDEPRESSED SUBJECTS WITH OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER

Objective: The authors studied factors associated with short-term trea tment response in 38 nondepressed subjects with DSM-III-R obsessive-co mpulsive disorder (OCD). Method: The subjects completed 12 weeks of tr eatment with paroxetine (N = 20), placebo (N = 8), or cognitive-behavi oral therapy (N = 10). Clinician and self-rated measures were gathered at baseline, during treatment, and after treatment. Results: Seventee n (45%) subjects had ''much'' or ''very much'' improvement and achieve d at least a 40% decrease in their total Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsi ve Scale (Y-BOCS) score. Responders had lower obsessive-compulsive sco res on the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised, had a lower checking score on the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, were less likely to have had prior drug therapy, and in general suffered more obsessive-compul sive symptoms. They were significantly less likely to have hoarding ob sessions and corresponding compulsions. The latter finding was confirm ed using multiple regression analysis. Conclusion: Hoarding is an impo rtant symptom that predicts poor treatment response in patients with O CD.