Psychiatry Research EG

Background Obsessive compulsive symptoms (OCS) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have been identified frequently in patients with schizophrenia. In most reported studies, those schizophrenic patients with OCS show worse global functioning than those without OCS. Aim The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of OCSs in schizophrenic patients to evaluate their impact on global functioning, with assessment of relation of whole- blood serotonin with presence of OCS. Patients and methods The study included 50 cases with ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenia and 50 healthy volunteers as the control group. Both groups were assessed for OCSs using the Yale- Brown obsessive compulsive scale. The Global Assessment of Functioning Scale was also used to evaluate global functioning of the schizophrenic patients. The whole-blood serotonin level was measured for our study groups as well. Results Thirty-one (62%) patients had OCS, whereas 21 (42%) controls had OCS. Eight (16%) patients versus only two (4%) controls met the ICD-10 diagnosis for OCD. There was no difference between patients with OCS versus patients without OCS on the Global Assessment of Functioning scale, whereas there was high statistical difference between patients with OCD versus patients without OCD as regards the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. The highest whole-blood serotonin level was recorded in the control group, followed by that among schizophrenic patients without OCS and then schizophrenic patients with OCS, whereas the lowest level was recorded in schizophrenic patients with OCD. Conclusion OCS and OCD are more common and more severe in schizophrenic patients than in general population. The global functioning is worse in the schizophrenic patients with OCD than in those patients without OCD. Moreover, serotonin dysfunction may be involved in various mental disorder- related OCS. Keywords: obsessive compulsive disorder, obsessive compulsive symptoms, schizophrenia