Abstract
Aripiprazole is a new antipsychotic agent that possesses a unique pharmacologic profile as a dopamine system stabilizer with a partial dopamine agonistic activity. The aim of this report was to present the use of aripiprazole augmentation therapy in three adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder, with one having Tourette’s syndrome comorbidity. In all cases psychotropic medication either fluoxetine or chlomipiramine was augmented with aripiprazole 5mg daily and in one case up to 10 mg daily. Aripiprazole augmentation therapy was effective on both obsessive compulsive symptoms and tics in the first 2 to 3 weeks of aripiprazole initiation. Aripiprazole was well tolerated in all three cases. No serious side effects except mild sedation, insomnia, nausea, fatigue which resolved in 2 to 4 weeks were reported. Aripiprazole appears to be a safe and efficacious augmentation alternative in adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder. Prospective clinical trials with a randomized controlled design in children and adolescents are needed.
Keywords: aripiprazole, adolescent, augmentation therapy, obsessive compulsive disorder
