Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms as Co-morbidity among Schizophrenics

Abstract

Background. Co-morbidity with obsessive-compulsive symptoms is often misdiagnosed or even
neglected by psychiatrists. It has been suggested that obsessive-compulsive co- morbidity leads to a
poorer clinical course, lower levels of functioning, and longer periods of hospitalization compared with
schizophrenics who are not obsessive-compulsives. Present study aims to address the issue by exploring
the co-morbidity of obsessive- compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia and to see their relationship in
clinical setting.
Methods. The study was conducted at Department of Psychiatry, Services Institute of Medical Sciences &
Services hospital, Lahore from September 2003 to May 2004. One hundred and eighty patients with
schizophrenia diagnosed on the basis of DSM-IV were included in the study. Positive and Negative
Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS) was administered to assess the severity of the positive and
negative symptoms. Same patients were evaluated for obsessions and compulsions using Padua
Inventory (PI).
Results. Sample of the patients having schizophrenia co-morbidity with obsessive compulsive symptoms
was having mean age of 32 years. Among them, 45.6 % were males, 54.6 % were females and 78 (43.3 %)
patients with schizophrenia were having Obsessive Compulsive symptoms. Results show that Obsessive
Compulsive symptoms were significantly comorbid with schizophrenia. The correlation was significant for
positive and general psychopathology symptoms, where as, no significant relationship was found for
negative symptoms.
Conclusion. Obsessive Compulsive symptoms significantly co morbid in patients suffering from
schizophrenia with positive symptoms