Prevalence and impact of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in depression: a STAR*D report

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) may be underrecognized in patients suffering from major depressive disorder. These patients may not receive optimal psychopharmacologic or psychological treatment if their OCS are not attended to. We performed a secondary analysis of the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial database, the largest effectiveness study of "real-world" depression ever conducted, to determine the frequency of OCS and their effects on depression outcome.

3,984 adult subjects without a previous selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor trial for their current major depressive episode, per DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, had data for rating scales of interest at entry into Level 1 of the STAR*D trial, a 12-week open trial of citalopram at a dose of 20-60 mg/d to assess rates of depression remission. Our primary interest was the OCD subscale of the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire.

At study entry, 53% of the STAR*D sample (which excluded patients with primary obsessive-compulsive disorder) endorsed ≥ 1 OCS, and 14% endorsed ≥ 4 OCS. Subjects endorsing ≥ 4 OCS had significantly lower corrected odds of depression remission on both the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) (OR = 0.61) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (odds ratio [OR] = 0.51). Number of OCS endorsed was positively correlated with HDRS-17 score (r = 0.26, P < .0001). Consistent with findings from the Dunedin, New Zealand Community Study, the most common obsessions were doubts of having inadvertently caused harm and violent obsessions.

OCS are common in depressed outpatients and are often not attended to. They impact clinical recovery from depression and should be screened for since sufferers are often reluctant to disclose these symptoms.

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00021528.