Delusional parasitosis: Clinical profile and treatment outcomes – A study from Kashmir

ABSTRACT Introduction: Delusional parasitosis (DP), also known as Ekbom’s syndrome, is a rare disorder characterized by an unshakeable conviction of being infested with parasites or small worms. The objective of this study is to study the clinical profile and treatment outcomes of patients presenting to the outpatient department as DP. Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted at the Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience; this was a prospective, observational hospital-based study which was conducted over 3 years from December 2019 to November 2022 among patients with various dermatological manifestations who presented to the psychiatric outdoor treatment facility either themselves or being referred from other specialties such as dermatology and medicine. The patients were selected through nonprobability sampling technique fulfilling the inclusion criteria. All of these patients underwent physical examination followed by an interview for sociodemographic characteristics along with mental status examination. The treatment and follow-up were recorded. The treatment outcomes were evaluated using the Clinical Global Impression Scale. Results: A total of 21 subjects enrolled in the study included 12 male and 9 female patients, with 85% of patients above 50 years of age. Out of 21 patients of DP, 8 were diagnosed as depression and 6 with dementia. Nineteen of them (90.4%) responded well to antipsychotic medications. On an average, a patient was seen by a psychiatrist after 8.3 months, with some cases taking antihistaminics for more than 2 years, before appropriate referral. Conclusion: The study highlights the characteristics of patients with DP and their treatment outcomes with various antipsychotics and hence the importance of psychiatric evaluation in such patients. An interprofessional liaison is important to curtail delayed referrals for better management and outcomes of such patients.