NB Tomruk, O Saatcioglu, E Ugurlu, M Hacioglu

ECT use in refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder

Either alone or in combination with other forms of treatment, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is accepted as a choice of treatment for some psychiatric disorders. Although there are relatively few case reports specifically for use of ECT in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), severe and intractable OCD is often associated with severe depression for which ECT may be indicated. The aim of this article is to discuss two cases of treatment refractory OCD which were successfully treated with ECT. Case 1 was a 37 year-old female patient. She was diagnosed with treatment refractory OCD. High doses of various selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in combination with atypical antipsychotics were ineffective. Case 2 was a 43 year-old female patient. She also was treated with numerous antidepressants at high doses with concomitant anxiolytics and risperidone, and was not responsive to any of them. She was diagnosed with refractory OCD, as well. Clinical improvement was obtained in both cases with ECT. Further research may clarify which OCD patients are appropriate candidates for ECT.(Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology Volume 20, Issue 2, 2010)

Keywords : Obsessive-compulsive disorder, electrocon-vulsive therapy, antidepressant, antipsychotic