Efficacy of aripiprazole augmentation in treatment resistant obsessive compulsive disorder: A preliminary report

Objective: To investigate efficacy of aripiprazole augmentation in treatment resistant obsessive compulsive disorder. Method: We planned to include 30 patients in this study and to compare Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale parameters of patients before augmentation with aripiprazole while taking serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale parameters of patients in the first, third and sixth month of augmentation treatment. 6 patients were included in the first 7 months of treatment and preliminary findings are reported here. Results: The mean of Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale parameters of 5 patients were 37,2 before augmentation, decreased to 28,4 in the first month of augmentation, to 16,8 in the third month of augmentation, and to 7,4 in the sixth month of augmentation. The Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale of the sixth patient included in the study were 26 before augmentation and decreased to 10 in the first month of augmentation. Conclusions: The preliminary findings of our study suggest that aripiprazole may a safe and efficacious choice in augmentation treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. Randomized, double blind studies are needed to assess the efficacy of aripiprazole in treatment resistant obsessive compulsive disorder.