A comparison of comorbidity in body dysmorphic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder

BACKROUND: The aim of this study is to compare 3 groups of patients with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and comorbid BDD and OCD with respect to clinical characteristics and to study their similarities and differences. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients diagnosed with BDD, 20 diagnosed with comorbid BDD/OCD and 49 diagnosed with OCD were included in the study. Patients with BDD, comorbid BDD/OCD, and OCD were compared in terms of demographic and clinical variables and scores obtained from various scales. RESULTS: Patients in the comorbid BDD/OCD and OCD groups tended to have higher anxiety scores than in BDD group. Any depressive disorder was more common in the comorbid BDD/OCD and OCD groups than in the BDD group. A significantly higher proportion of patients with BDD/OCD had any anxiety disorder than those with BDD. Subjects with BDD were significantly more likely than subjects with OCD to have narcissistic and avoidant personality disorders and any Axis II personality disorder. Finally, the rate of any cluster B personality disorder was higher in the BDD and BDD/OCD groups than in the OCD group. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the similarities between BDD and OCD, these disorders appear to have different aspects especially on psychiatric comorbidity.