Effect of Ziprasidone Augmentation of Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Treatment-Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A 12-Week, Open-Label Uncontrolled Preliminary Study

Objectives The present 12-week, open-label uncontrolled trial was aimed to explore the efficacy of ziprasidone add-on pharmacotherapy on clinical symptoms and cognitive functioning in a sample of patients with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder receiving serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs). Methods After clinical (Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale [Y-BOCS], Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) and neurocognitive (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Colour-Word Test, Trail Making Test) assessments, patients received 80 mg/d of ziprasidone. Result A final sample of 17 patients completed the study. The results obtained indicate that ziprasidone added to stable SRIs treatment appeared to be moderately effective for reducing compulsive symptoms, as evidenced by changes on Y-BOCS compulsion scale score (P = 0.005) at the end of the trial. Only 4 subjects (23.5% of the completers) had a partial response (reduction between 25% and 34% in Y-BOCS total score), whereas none of the patients had a full response (reduction 35% in Y-BOCS total score). Regarding cognitive performances, no significant differences were found during the study. Conclusions The findings provide evidence that ziprasidone added to ongoing treatment appeared to be mildly effective to improve symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder who have failed to respond sufficiently to SRIs.