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Separation anxiety disorder in adult patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: Prevalence and clinical correlates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2020

A.P. Franz ,
L. Rateke ,
T. Hartmann ,
N. McLaughlin ,
A.R. Torres ,
M.C. do Rosário ,
E.C.M. Filho  and
Y.A. Ferrão
A.P. Franz
Affiliation:
Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Rua Sarmento Leite, 245, sala 109, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul90050-170Brazil
L. Rateke
Affiliation:
Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Rua Sarmento Leite, 245, sala 109, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul90050-170Brazil
T. Hartmann
Affiliation:
Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Rua Sarmento Leite, 245, sala 109, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul90050-170Brazil
N. McLaughlin
Affiliation:
Butler Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 45, Prospect Street, Providence, RI02912United States
A.R. Torres
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Psychology and Psychiatry, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University, Avenue Prof. Montenegro Bairro, Distrito de Rubião Junior, s/n, Botucatu, SP, 18618-970Brazil
M.C. do Rosário
Affiliation:
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Sena Madureira, 1.500, 1° Andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04021-001Brazil
E.C.M. Filho
Affiliation:
Institute and Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, R. Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos, 785, São Paulo, SP, 05403-903Brazil
Y.A. Ferrão*
Affiliation:
Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Rua Sarmento Leite, 245, sala 109, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul90050-170Brazil
*
*Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +55 (51) 3346 1077. E-mail addresses: ygoraf@ufcspa.edu.br (Y.A. Ferrão).
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Abstract

Objective:

Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and separation anxiety disorder (SAD) tend to present higher morbidity than do those with OCD alone. However, the relationship between OCD and SAD has yet to be fully explored.

Method:

This was a cross-sectional study using multiple logistic regression to identify differences between OCD patients with SAD (OCD + SAD, n = 260) and without SAD (OCD, n = 695), in terms of clinical and socio-demographic variables. Data were extracted from those collected between 2005 and 2009 via the Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders project.

Results:

SAD was currently present in only 42 (4.4%) of the patients, although 260 (27.2%) had a lifetime diagnosis of the disorder. In comparison with the OCD group patients, patients with SAD + OCD showed higher chance to present sensory phenomena, to undergo psychotherapy, and to have more psychiatric comorbidities, mainly bulimia.

Conclusion:

In patients with primary OCD, comorbid SAD might be related to greater personal dysfunction and a poorer response to treatment, since sensory phenomena may be a confounding aspect on diagnosis and therapeutics. Patients with OCD + SAD might be more prone to developing specific psychiatric comorbidities, especially bulimia. Our results suggest that SAD symptom assessment should be included in the management and prognostic evaluation of OCD, although the psychobiological role that such symptoms play in OCD merits further investigation.

Keywords

Obsessive-compulsive disorderSeparation anxiety disorderComorbidityAnxietyDiagnosisEpidemiology

Information

Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , January 2015 , pp. 145 - 151
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2020

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Footnotes

1

Tel.: +55 (51) 3303 9000; fax: +55 (51) 3303 8810.

2

Tel.: +1 401 863 1000.

3

Tel.: +55 (14) 3811 6000.

4

Tel.: +55 (11) 3385 4101.

5

Tel.: +55 (11) 2661 6972.

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