Relapse rates in stable obsessive-compulsive disorder after antidepressant discontinuation versus maintenance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The optimal duration for maintaining antidepressant treatment in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who achieve symptom stabilization remains unclear.

Methods: This systematic review and pairwise meta-analysis of double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trials (DBRPCTs) compared antidepressant maintenance and antidepressant discontinuation groups in terms of relapse rate at each DBRPCT study endpoint (primary outcome), OCD symptom improvement, all-cause discontinuation, and adverse event-related discontinuation. Furthermore, relapse rates at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks were compared between the groups. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The absolute risk reduction (ARR) and number needed to treat to benefit (NNTB) for relapse rates were also estimated.

Results: Nine trials (n = 1084; mean age: 32.8 years; proportion of males: 53.3%) were included. The antidepressant maintenance group had lower relapse rates at each DBRPCT study endpoint (RR [95% CI] = 0.53 [0.42-0.68]; ARR = 21.0%; NNTB = 5) and lower all-cause and adverse event-related discontinuation rates than the antidepressant discontinuation group. The maintenance group also exhibited lower relapse rates at 4 weeks (RR [95% CI] = 0.47 [0.31-0.70]; ARR: not significant; NNTB: not significant), 8 weeks (0.42 [0.31-0.57]; 12.0%; 8), 12 weeks (0.43 [0.32-0.56]; 18.0%; 6), 16 weeks (0.41 [0.32-0.52]; 25.0%; 4), 20 weeks (0.43 [0.34-0.53]; 26.0%; 4), and 24 weeks (0.42 [0.33-0.52]; 27.0%; 4) than the discontinuation group. Moreover, the maintenance group outperformed the discontinuation group regarding OCD symptom improvement.

Conclusions: Individuals with OCD may benefit from continued antidepressant treatment, provided that it is well tolerated.