Assessing response, remission and treatment resistance in patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder with and without Tic Disorders: Results from a multicenter study

Objective Highlighting the relationship between Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Tic Disorder (TD), two highly disabling, comorbid and difficult-to-treat conditions, DSM-5 acknowledged a new "tic-related" specifier for OCD, i.e., Obsessive-Compulsive Tic-related Disorder (OCTD). As patients with OCTD may frequently show poor treatment response, the aim of this multicentre study was to investigate rates and clinical correlates of response, remission and treatment resistance in a large multicentre sample of OCD patients with versus without tics. Methods A sample of 398 patients with a DSM-5 diagnosis of OCD with and without comorbid TD was assessed from ten different psychiatric departments across Italy. For the purpose of the study, treatment response profiles in the whole sample were analysed comparing the rates of response, remission and treatment-resistance as well as related clinical features. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify possible factors associated with treatment response. Results The remission group was associated with later ages of onset of TD and OCD. Moreover, significantly higher rates of psychiatric comorbidities, TD, and lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts emerged in the treatment-resistant group, with larger degrees of perceived worsened quality of life and family involvement.