Citation

Alonso P, Bertolín S, Segalàs J, Tubío-Fungueiriño M, Real E, Mar-Barrutia L, Fernández-Prieto M, Carvalho S, Carracedo A, Menchón JM. Eur. Psychiatry 2021; 64(1): e45.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.2214

PMID

34100343

PMCID

PMC8280462

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on emotional health are evident, little is known about its impact on patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
METHODS: One hundred and twenty-seven patients with OCD who attended a specialist OCD Clinic in Barcelona, Spain, were assessed by phone from April 27 to May 25, 2020, during the early phase of the pandemic, using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and a structured interview that collected clinical and sociodemographic information.

RESULTS were compared with those for 237 healthy controls from the same geographic area who completed an online survey.
RESULTS: Although 65.3% of the patients with OCD described a worsening of their symptoms, only 31.4% had Y-BOCS scores that increased >25%. The risk of getting infected by SARS-CoV2 was reported as a new obsession by 44.8%, but this only became the main obsessive concern in approximately 10% of the patients. Suicide-related thoughts were more frequent among the OCD cohort than among healthy controls. The presence of prepandemic depression, higher Y-BOCS scores, contamination/washing symptoms, and lower perceived social support all predicted a significantly increased risk of OCD worsening.
CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with OCD appear to be capable of coping with the emotional stress of the COVID-19 outbreak and its consequences during the initial phase of the pandemic. Nevertheless, the current crisis constitutes a risk factor for a significant worsening of symptoms and suicidal ideation. Action is needed to ensure effective and individualized follow-up care for patients with OCD in the COVID-19 era.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Adult; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Spain; COVID-19; suicide; risk factors; Suicidal Ideation; Surveys and Questionnaires; Longitudinal Studies; social support; Case-Control Studies; Adaptation, Psychological; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder; Pandemics; Psychological Distress; obsessive–compulsive disorder