Incidence of obsessive-compulsive phenomena in the course of acute schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder

Studies examining OC phenomena in schizophrenic and schizoaffective disorders have shown a prevalence of such phenomena in 1 to 60% of schizophrenic or schizoaffective patients. In this prospective study, about 10% of 150 male patients suffering from acute psychotic disorders (fulfilling DSM-IV criteria for Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder) were found to have OC symptoms. These symptoms showed no correlation to the type and severity of psychosis. As only 19% of the patients with obsessions and compulsions during acute psychosis showed an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder prior to their psychotic episodes, it may be concluded that there is no clear linkage between intrapsychotic OC phenomena and premorbid anancastic personality traits. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.