Lior Carmi1,2,3, Oded Ben-Arush2, Leah Fostick4, Hagit Cohen5, Joseph Zohar1,2. 1. The Post-Trauma Center, Chaim Sheba Sheba Medical Center, Israel. 2. The Israeli Center for OCD, Modiin, Israel. 3. The Data Science Institution, The interdisciplinary center, Herzliya, Israel. 4. Department of Communication Disorders, Ariel University, Israel. 5. Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Division of Psychiatry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Psychiatric patients are perceived to be especially vulnerable during a pandemic as it increases stress and uncertainty. Several current publications have considered Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients to be particularly vulnerable during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and clinicians were advised to adjust treatments accordingly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the two- and six-month impacts of COVID-19 on the symptom severity of OCD patients. METHODS: A cohort of OCD patients, actively treated with Exposure and Response Prevention [ERP] combined with pharmacological treatment, was evaluated as part of their regular psychiatric assessment twice: 113 patients were evaluated at their two-month follow-up, and 90 patients (from that cohort), were evaluated at their six-month follow up. RESULTS: Eighty-four percent of the patients at the two-month follow-up and 96% of the patients at the six-month follow-up did not show OC symptom deterioration. The results were also replicated in the OCD subgroup that included contamination (washers) and patients with illness obsessions who were believed to be particularly vulnerable, considering their obsessional content. CONCLUSION: OCD patients (including those with obsessions related to contamination and health) who are under an active ERP and pharmacological treatment, did not experience exacerbated symptoms during COVID-19 at their two- and six-month follow-ups.
BACKGROUND:Psychiatricpatients are perceived to be especially vulnerable during a pandemic as it increases stress and uncertainty. Several current publications have considered Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients to be particularly vulnerable during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and clinicians were advised to adjust treatments accordingly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the two- and six-month impacts of COVID-19 on the symptom severity of OCDpatients. METHODS: A cohort of OCDpatients, actively treated with Exposure and Response Prevention [ERP] combined with pharmacological treatment, was evaluated as part of their regular psychiatric assessment twice: 113 patients were evaluated at their two-month follow-up, and 90 patients (from that cohort), were evaluated at their six-month follow up. RESULTS: Eighty-four percent of the patients at the two-month follow-up and 96% of the patients at the six-month follow-up did not show OC symptom deterioration. The results were also replicated in the OCD subgroup that included contamination (washers) and patients with illness obsessions who were believed to be particularly vulnerable, considering their obsessional content. CONCLUSION:OCDpatients (including those with obsessions related to contamination and health) who are under an active ERP and pharmacological treatment, did not experience exacerbated symptoms during COVID-19 at their two- and six-month follow-ups.
Authors: Francesco Demaria; Maria Pontillo; Cristina Di Vincenzo; Michelangelo Di Luzio; Stefano Vicari Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2022-06-02 Impact factor: 4.964
Authors: Dianne M Hezel; Amy M Rapp; Michael G Wheaton; Reilly R Kayser; Sarah V Rose; Gabrielle R Messner; Rachel Middleton; H Blair Simpson Journal: J Psychiatr Res Date: 2022-03-26 Impact factor: 5.250