Double-blind controlled study in phobias and obsessions.

A double-blind between-patient study is described which was aimed at assessing the efficacy and tolerability of clomipramine (Anafranil, Geigy Pharmacetuicals) in clinically depressed patients with obsessive-compulsive and phobic psychopathological traits. Twenty patients of either sex aged between 18 and 65 years were randomly allocated to treatment with clomipramine (50 mg twice daily) or to treatment with an identical placebo. Patients were assessed at the commencement of the study and at two-weekly intervals over the six-week duration of the trial. By the methods of assessment used, clomipramine proved to be highly statistically significantly superior to placebo.