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Clomipramine and Exposure for Chronic Obsessive-Compulsive Rituals: III. Two Year Follow-Up and Further Findings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

D. Mawson
Affiliation:
The Mauds ley Hospital, London SE5
I. M. Marks
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London SE5
L. Ramm
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry and The Maudsley Hospital

Summary

Forty chronic ritualizers were given clomipramine or placebo from weeks 0 to 36; also all had exposure in vivo, half from weeks 4 to 10 (30 hours) and half from weeks 7 to 10 (15 hours). In the 37 patients available at week 114 there were substantial and maintained improvements in rituals, mood and social adjustment compared to week 0. Reduction of rituals was even greater in those who had 30 hours of exposure. There was no drug effect on rituals at two year follow-up. Greater initial anxiety or depression predicted the superiority of clomipramine over placebo from weeks 10 to 36 and more prescription of tricyclics in follow-up. However, two year outcome was not predicted by initial anxiety or depression, nor by sex, age, age of onset nor duration of rituals.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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