Objective: To examine the differences in demographic and clinical features
of patients with schizophrenia, with or without comorbid obsessive-compulsi
ve disorder (OCD).
Methods: Fifty-two subjects were recruited from clinical services in the ci
ty of Edmonton, Alberta and assessed for schizophrenia and OCD with structu
red clinical interviews and standardized clinical rating scales.
Results: The prevalence of OCD in individuals meeting criteria for schizoph
renia was 25%. Those subjects having both schizophrenia and OCD scored sign
ificantly higher on the Y-BOCS, Hollingshead scale, and GAF; plus significa
ntly lower PANSS negative symptoms and a trend in increased Parkinsonian sy
mptoms compared with individuals with schizophrenia alone.
Conclusion: Our preliminary findings indicate that patients with schizophre
nia and OCD vary in selected demographic and clinical measures when compare
d to patients with schizophrenia alone. Patients with schizophrenia and OCD
appear to have less negative symptoms, which may thus be reflected in the
decreased GAF scores. It is speculated that patients with schizophrenia and
OCD may have a greater propensity to basal ganglia dysfunction than those
with schizophrenia alone resulting in increased Parkinsonian symptoms. (C)
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