[Clinical aspects of obsessive-compulsive syndromes: results of phase 2 of a large French survey].

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) had received a new interest from fundamental research (psychopharmacology, neurobiology and brain imagery...). Although more investigation of OCD clinical aspects are needed, especially in large cohorts of patients, not seen nor investigated only in high specialized psychiatric units. A large french survey "Screening-Understanding-Treating OCD" was conducted in 1994 with the participation of 240 psychiatrists. The survey had included 4,363 new consecutive patients consulting in out-patient psychiatry. The phase 1 had shown a point prevalence rates of 9.2% for OCD (full criteria of DSM III-R) and 17% for OCS (Obsessive-Compulsive Syndromes). From 731 patients, the phrase 2 was conducted on a cohort of 646 patients with OCD or OCS and had explored in details in the clinical aspects of the OC illness (typology, symptomatic categories, comorbidity, OCD spectrum, psychiatric family history and treatment history...). The results of the french survey phase 2 had confirmed a variety of classical and current literature data, especially: the ICD 10 proposal for diagnostic sub-typology according to symptomatic predominance (obsessions, compulsions or both); the symptomatic clustering of obsessions and compulsions into three major categories, suggested by a recent study from the Boston University; the high rate of comorbidity with anxiety and depressive disorders and with disorders related to the large OCD spectrum (somatoform disorders, eating disorders, impulse-control disorders, compulsive buying...); the impact of clinical parameters (as slowness, avoidance, lack of insight) on clinical global OCD and OCS severity; the high rate of intrafamilial psychiatric morbidity (OCD, depression, anxiety disorders).