Trials in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Highlight Group Therapy, Escitalopram, and Anticonvulsants: Presented at CPA

The latest research on the management of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) suggests that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) can be as effective in groups and in the office as it is in one-on-one sessions and in the home. Also, the antidepressant escitalopram and anticonvulsants topiramate and lamotrigine may play a more important therapeutic role than has previously been recognised.

Pratap Chokka, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, University of Alberta, Psychiatrist, Grey Nuns Hospital, Edmonton, Canada, presented the latest findings on the management of OCD here on November 17 at the 57th Annual Conference of the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA).

Currently, CBT is a mainstay of treatment for OCD. As a stand-alone treatment, it has been found in some studies to be as effective as antidepressants. While one-on-one CBT therapy was believed until recently to be the most effective option, 2007 data has revealed that, in fact, both individual and group therapy are effective. While response rates were faster with individual therapy, overall response rates were similar with both modalities. This is an important finding for a real world setting, where patients are often on waiting lists to receive CBT, said Dr. Chokka.

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Early Response to Antidepressant Treatment Predicts Remission

Patients with depression who have an early response with certain symptoms are more likely to have a sustained remission, investigators reported here at the American Psychiatric Association 2007 Annual Meeting.

"At 2 weeks, the improvement on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) significantly predicted remission for key symptoms with both duloxetine and escitalopram," said principal investigator Martin Katz, PhD, clinical researcher, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, United States.

"Improvements for depressed mood, anxiety, and somatic symptoms significantly predicted remission for both treatments," Dr. Katz said in his presentation on May 21st.

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