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Pharmacopsychiatry 2018; 51(06): 263-269
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-120268
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Memantine Augmentation Improves Symptoms in Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor-Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Atieh Modarresi
1   Research Center for Rational Use of Drugs, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
,
Mehdi Sayyah
2   Education Development Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
,
Setareh Razooghi
3   Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
,
Kaveh Eslami
4   School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
,
Mohammadreza Javadi
5   Clinical Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Research Center for Rational Use of Drugs, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
,
Leila Kouti
6   School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 14 August 2017
revised 16 September 2017

accepted 19 September 2017

Publication Date:
03 November 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Introduction There is a large body of evidence on the clinical benefits of augmentation therapy with glutamate-modulating agents, such as memantine in reducing OCD symptoms.

Methods A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on SRIrefractory OCD patients. Thirty-two patients were randomized to receive either 20 mg/day memantine or placebo augmentation and were visited at baseline and every 4 weeks for 12 weeks. Results were measured using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS).

Results The Y-BOCS total score was significantly reduced in the memantine group at the end of weeks 8 and 12, while no improvement was observed in the placebo group throughout the trial. A reduction of 40.9% in the mean Y-BOCS total score by week 12 in the memantine group resulted in 73.3% of patients achieving treatment response. The findings showed that a time to effect of 8 weeks was necessary to observe significant improvement in OCD symptoms, while treatment response was only seen after 12 weeks of memantine augmentation.

Discussion Memantine is an effective and well-tolerated augmentation in severe OCD patients refractory to SRI monotherapy.

 

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