Long-term sertraline treatment of children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of sertraline in the lo ng-term treatment of pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method: Children (6-12 years; n = 72) and adolescents (13-18 years n = 65) with DS M-III-R-defined OCD who had completed a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-cont rolled sertraline study were given open-label sertraline 50 to 200 mg/day i n this 52-week extension study Concomitant psychotherapy was allowed during the extension study. Outcome was evaluated by the Children's Yale-Brown Ob sessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS), National Institute of Mental Health Glo bal Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, and Clinical Global Impression Severity (CG I-S) and Improvement (CGI-I) scores. Results: Significant improvement (p < .0001) was demonstrated on all four outcome parameters on an intent-to-trea t analysis for the overall study population (n = 132), as well as the child and the adolescent samples. At endpoint, 72% of children and 61 % of adole scents met response criteria (<greater than>25% decrease in CY-BOCS and a C GI-I score of 1 or 2). Significant (p < .05) improvements were also demonst rated from the extension study baseline to endpoint on all outcome paramete rs in those patients who received sertraline during the 12-week, double-bli nd acute study. Long-term sertraline treatment was well tolerated, and ther e were no discontinuations; due to changes in vital signs, laboratory value s, or electrocardiograms. Conclusion: Sertraline (50-200 mg/day) was effect ive and generally well tolerated in the treatment of childhood and adolesce nt OCD for up to 52 weeks. Improvement was seen with continued treatment.