Clomipramine treatment of childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder. A double-blind controlled study

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1985 Oct;42(10):977-83. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1985.01790330057007.

Abstract

Nineteen children (mean [+/- SD] age, 14.5 +/- 2.3 years) with severe, primary obsessive-compulsive disorder completed a ten-week, double-blind, controlled trial of clomipramine hydrochloride (mean dosage, 141 mg/day) or placebo, each of which was administered for five weeks. Half of the subjects had not responded to previous treatment with other tricyclic antidepressants. There was a significant improvement in observed and self-reported obsessions and compulsions that was independent of the presence of depressive symptoms at baseline. Improvement in obsessive-compulsive symptoms did not correlate significantly with plasma concentrations of the drug or its metabolites. Clomipramine appears to be effective in the treatment of children with obsessive-compulsive disorder and the treatment seems to be independent of an antidepressant effect.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Controlled Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Clomipramine / metabolism
  • Clomipramine / therapeutic use*
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / drug therapy*
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / psychology
  • Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care
  • Personality Inventory
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
  • Clomipramine