Effectiveness of fluoxetine on various subtypes of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND Obsessive-compulsive disorder typically begins early in life and has a chronic course. Despite the need for long-term treatment, the information about therapeutic effect on different clinical subtypes is limited. METHODS Consecutive outpatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder were evaluated for response to a two-month fluoxetine therapy course by Yale-Brown obsessive-compulsive scale according to the clinical subtype of the disease. RESULTS Of 265 patients, fluoxetine significantly decreased the symptoms in general. The mean Yale-Brown obsessive- compulsive scale in washers and patients with obsessive thoughts was significantly decreased after the intervention. The decrease in Yale-Brown obsessive- compulsive scale in checkers was not statistically significance. CONCLUSION Fluoxetine has sustained efficacy on patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and is generally well tolerated. Fluoxetine has greater efficacy on washers and on obsessive thoughts than checkers.