Trajectory in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders Comorbidities

Author(s)

Maria Alice Simões de Mathis

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina (FM/SBD)
• Defense date: 2012-02-01

Examining board members

Euripedes Constantino Miguel Filho; Renerio Fraguas Junior; Christina Hajaj Gonzalez; Paulo Rossi Menezes; Katia Cristina Lima de Petribu

• Advisor: Euripedes Constantino Miguel Filho; Maria Conceição do Rosário Campos

Abstract

Introduction: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has a complex etiology, and can be influenced by several genetic and environmental factors. The lack of homogeneity in the description of the disorders complicates the search for etiological factors. The main goal of this study is to verify the effect of age at onset of several symptoms in the clinical characteristics of Axis I psychiatric disorders in the trajectory of OCD patients. Methodology: 1,001 consecutive OCD patients were evaluated at a single time point. Standardized instruments were used: Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnosis of Axis I, according to DSM-IV and for impulse-control disorders; Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories and Brown Beliefs assessment Scale; and the Natural History Questionnaire. Chi-square test was used for categorical variables, and Kruskal-Wallis and ANOVA tests were used for continuous variables. For all the tests the significant level was considered p <.05. To analyze the distribution of comorbidities according to age at onset a Bayesian approach was used. Results: Patients with early age at onset had higher frequency of separation anxiety disorder (p<0.001), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (p=0.031); tic disorders (p<0.009); obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (p<0.001); impulse-control disorders (p=0.005) and mood disorders (p=0.020). Besides, they presented higher severity of all measures of Y-BOCS score (p<0.001) and DY-BOCS score (p<0.001), OCD course with progressive worsening (p<0.001) and higher frequency of family history of OCD (p<0.001) and tic disorders (p=0.013). OCD patients who presented separation anxiety disorder as the first manifested diagnosis had higher frequencies of: anxiety disorders (p=0.058), somatoform disorders (p=0.056), post-traumatic stress disorder (p=0.004), higher frequency of Sexual/Religious dimension (p=0.053) and higher scores on Beck depression (p=0.005) and Beck anxiety (p<0.001). OCD patients who presented ADHD as first manifested diagnosis presented higher frequency of substance abuse (p<0.001) and presented more OCD course with progressive worsening (p=0.033). OCD patients who presented tic disorder as first manifested diagnosis presented higher frequency of OC spectrum disorders (p=0.034). Conclusion: We can conclude that OCD is a heterogeneous disorder and may include several subtypes according to the chosen approach (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/57598-7 - Trajectory in obsessive-compulsive disorders comorbidities
• Grantee: Maria Alice Simões de Mathis
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate