TY - JOUR
T1 - An open-label, flexible-dose study of olanzapine in the treatment of trichotillomania
AU - Stewart, Rege S.
AU - Nejtek, Vicki A.
PY - 2003/1/1
Y1 - 2003/1/1
N2 - Background: Thus far, only selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been systematically studied in the treatment of trichotillomania, and the results are conflicting. This open-label study is the first to systematically evaluate an atypical neuroleptic, olanzapine, as a monotherapy in the treatment of trichotillomania. Method: Twenty-one patients were screened and 18 patients were enrolled in a 3-month open-label study of olanzapine for trichotillomania (diagnosis based on modified DSM-IV criteria). Patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders or on treatment with psychoactive medication were excluded. Olanzapine was titrated gradually in 2.5-mg/week increments up to a maximum dose of 10 mg/day. Results: Seventeen patients who completed at least 1 week of olanzapine treatment were evaluated. Hair pulling, as measured by the Massachusetts General Hospital Hairpulling Scale, decreased by 66% from baseline (p ≤.001), and mean scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety decreased by 63% (p ≤ .05). Clinical Global Impressions scale scores also revealed significant improvement as a whole (p ≤ .001), with 4 patients having complete symptom remission at the end of the study period. Conclusion: Findings suggest that olanzapine may be an effective monotherapy for trichotillomania.
AB - Background: Thus far, only selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been systematically studied in the treatment of trichotillomania, and the results are conflicting. This open-label study is the first to systematically evaluate an atypical neuroleptic, olanzapine, as a monotherapy in the treatment of trichotillomania. Method: Twenty-one patients were screened and 18 patients were enrolled in a 3-month open-label study of olanzapine for trichotillomania (diagnosis based on modified DSM-IV criteria). Patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders or on treatment with psychoactive medication were excluded. Olanzapine was titrated gradually in 2.5-mg/week increments up to a maximum dose of 10 mg/day. Results: Seventeen patients who completed at least 1 week of olanzapine treatment were evaluated. Hair pulling, as measured by the Massachusetts General Hospital Hairpulling Scale, decreased by 66% from baseline (p ≤.001), and mean scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety decreased by 63% (p ≤ .05). Clinical Global Impressions scale scores also revealed significant improvement as a whole (p ≤ .001), with 4 patients having complete symptom remission at the end of the study period. Conclusion: Findings suggest that olanzapine may be an effective monotherapy for trichotillomania.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037266037&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4088/JCP.v64n0110
DO - 10.4088/JCP.v64n0110
M3 - Article
C2 - 12590623
AN - SCOPUS:0037266037
SN - 0160-6689
VL - 64
SP - 49
EP - 52
JO - The Journal of clinical psychiatry
JF - The Journal of clinical psychiatry
IS - 1
ER -