Lifetime-comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder and subclinical obsessive-compulsive disorder in northern Germany

Objective Inspite of the worldwide relevance of obsessive-compulsive disord er (OCD), there is a substantial lack of data on comorbidity in OCD and sub clinical OCD in the general population. Methods German versions, of the DSM -IV adapted Composite International Diagnostic Interview were administered to a representative sample of 4075 persons aged 18-64 years, living in a no rthern German region. Results In both genders, high rates of comorbid depre ssive disorders were found in OCD and subclinical OCD, whereas somatoform p ain disorder was only associated with OCD. In female subjects,,OCD was addi tionally associated with social and specific phobias, alcohol, nicotine and sedative dependence, PTSD and atypical eating, disorder. Conclusion Due to low comorbidity rates, subclinical OCD seems to represent an independent s yndrome not restricted to the presence of other axis-1 diagnoses. Comorbidi ty patterns show a disposition to, anxiety and to depressive disorders in O CD and subclinical OCD. A broad association with obsessive-compulsive spect rum disorders could not be confirmed in our general population sample.