Increased Stroke Risk in Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. A Nationwide Longitudinal Study
Clinicians need to closely monitor the risk associated with cerebrovascular disease in patients with OCD. The pathogenesis of OCD that increases the risk of ischemic stroke warrants further investigation.
https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.032995
Commentary
This study was investigated because patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) tend to have comorbid stroke-related risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, but the temporal association with risk is unknown. Using data collected in Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 2001 and 2010, 28 064 adult patients with OCD and 28 064 age-, sex-, and comorbidity-matched controls were included in the study.
Results showed that OCD patients, especially middle-aged and elderly patients, had a higher risk of developing ischemic stroke during follow-up compared to non-OCD controls. The cumulative HR of hemorrhagic stroke did not differ between the OCD and non-OCD groups, and it was noted that short-term and long-term use of OCD drugs did not correlate with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke compared to non-use.
