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L-carnosine as an adjuvant to fluvoxamine in treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder: A randomized double-blind study.

  • 2017-05-08
  • Human psychopharmacology 32(4)
    • Somaye Arabzadeh
    • Maryam Shahhossenie
    • Bita Mesgarpour
    • Farzin Rezaei
    • Mohammad Reza Shalbafan
    • Zahra Ghiasi
    • Shahin Akhondzadeh

Study Design

Type
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Population
Forty-four patients diagnosed with moderate to severe OCD
Methods
randomized double-blind trial; patients received either L-carnosine or placebo as adjuvant to fluvoxamine for 10 weeks
Blinding
Double-blind
Duration
10 weeks

Background

Dysregulation of glutamate is implicated in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Consistently, glutamate-modulating agents, such as riluzole and memantine have been used in OCD treatment. Previous research has identified some neuroprotective role for L-carnosine potentially via its modulatory effect on glutamate. Here, we assessed the efficacy of L-carnosine as adjuvant to fluvoxamine in OCD treatment.

Methods

Forty-four patients diagnosed with moderate to severe OCD were recruited in a randomized double-blind trial. Patients received either L-carnosine or placebo as adjuvant to fluvoxamine for 10 weeks. The Yale- Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was used for assessing the severity of symptoms at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, and 10.

Results

General linear model repeated measure showed significant effects for Time × Treatment interaction on total Y-BOCS [F (2.10, 88.42) = 8.66, p < 0.001], obsession [F (1.88, 79.34) = 4.96, p = 0.01] and compulsion [F (1.88, 79.11) = 4.57, p = 0.01]. At week 10, the change from baseline in Y-BOCS scores was 8.86 ± 2.89 (mean ± SD) in the L-carnosine group compared to 5.86 ± 2.88 in the placebo group.

Conclusion

L-carnosine results in significant reduction of obsessive-compulsive symptoms when used as an adjuvant to fluvoxamine.

Research Insights

  • L-Carnosine→Reduced Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms

    General linear model repeated measure showed significant effects for Time × Treatment interaction on total Y-BOCS [F (2.10, 88.42) = 8.66, p < 0.001], obsession [F (1.88, 79.34) = 4.96, p = 0.01] and compulsion [F (1.88, 79.11) = 4.57, p = 0.01]. At week 10, the change from baseline in Y-BOCS scores was 8.86 ± 2.89 (mean ± SD) in the L-carnosine group compared to 5.86 ± 2.88 in the placebo group.

    Effect
    Beneficial
    Effect size
    Moderate
    Dose
    not stated
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