Obsessive-compulsive disorder and psychosis

Objective: To study the phenomenology, treatment, course, and outcome of pa tients with comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and psychotic feat ures. Method. A retrospective chart analysis was conducted on 15 patients with OC D with psychotic features. Data were collected regarding patient demographi cs, psychiatric diagnosis, duration of illness, treatment details, and clin ically determined outcome over time. Results: Obsessive doubts, washing, and checking compulsions were the most commonly seen obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms. Of the patients, 53% had first-rank symptoms, and 77% showed significant improvement on treatment wi th a combination of antipsychotic and antiobsessional drugs. Conclusions: The observed improvement on treatment with a combination of an tiobsessional and antipsychotic drugs supports the use of combination treat ment in patients who have both OC and psychotic symptoms.