Obsessive-compulsive disorder: evaluation of clinical and biological circadian parameters during fluoxetine treatment

Rationale: Many biological abnormalities have been found in obsessive-compu lsive disorder (OCD). The circadian rhythm investigations of different clin ical and biological parameters may provide a comparison with depression. Fl uoxetine is one of the efficient drugs in alleviating symptoms of OCD. The effect of fluoxetine can highlight some clues to the neurotransmitter alter ations in the disorder. Objective: The present study investigated clinical and biological circadian modifications in OCD patients during a fluoxetine treatment. Methods: Daily clinical symptoms, and circadian rhythms of axill ary temperature, plasma cortisol and plasma melatonin were assessed in eigh t patients suffering from OCD. These parameters were compared in the same p atients, before and after an 8-week fluoxetine treatment period. Results: A therapeutic effect of fluoxetine was obtained. No significant differences were observed either in daily clinical variations or in biological circadia n rhythms measured before and after treatment. Conclusion: The therapeutic efficacy of fluoxetine was not related to the biological parameters assesse d.