Role of Family History in the Presentation of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder – A study in Eastern India

Introduction: About 2%–3% of the global population is affected by obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Familial basis of OCD has been upheld in various studies, with family studies showing up to 23% increased risk of developing OCD in first-degree relatives of patients suffering from OCD. The various symptom dimensions of OCD have also been shown to have some relation with family history. Aims and Objectives: This study attempts to evaluate the prevalence of family history of OCD in first-degree relatives of patients suffering from OCD, as well as the role of family history in the development of various symptom dimensions of OCD. The severity of OCD, comorbid anxiety and depression, and age of onset of OCD have also been studied. Materials and Methods: Fifty adult drug-naïve cases of OCD, diagnosed as per the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) criteria, were recruited in the study. Psychometric scales administered included the Dimensional Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (DYBOCS), Yale-Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Data were analyzed by sub-dividing cases into two groups based on whether or not they had a family history of OCD in their first-degree relatives. Results: About 32% of cases reported a family history of OCD in first-degree relatives. Higher percentage of patients among those who had a family history of OCD reported symptoms pertaining to individual dimensions of OCD, exceptions being the sexual/religious and symmetry domains, and statistical significance being found in the contamination and aggressive domains. The mean age of onset of illness was significantly lower, and mean scores on HAM-D, HAM-A, and YBOCS were significantly higher, in cases with family history of OCD as compared to those without family history. Conclusion: This study has explored the possible association of a family history of OCD with the various symptom dimensions of OCD. Further studies on a greater number of study participants need to be done in the future to obtain clinically generalizable results.