Reduced short-term obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenic patients treated with risperidone: a single-blind prospective study

Background Risperidone is a widely used agent as first-line treatment in schizophrenia with a favorable side-effect profile. However, a number of case reports have suggested an increase in obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients treated with risperidone. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of risperidone on obsessive-compulsive symptoms in the treatment of schizophrenia. Method Forty patients with DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia were included in the study. The Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale was administered before, at the end of first and second months of treatment. Paired-samples t-test was used to compare the three assessments. Results There was not an increase, but a significant decrease, in YBOCS scores over time during risperidone treatment (p < 0.05). Conclusion In the present study risperidone caused a significant decrease in obsessive-compulsive symptoms in the treatment of schizophrenia. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.