The outcome of pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is still unclear. In the present study, long-term rates and predictors of remission were used to identify potential factors influencing the outcome of pediatric OCD.
Methods:
Using meta-analysis techniques, we calculated the pooled rate of remission and performed subgroup analyses to identify potential heterogeneities, and the meta-regression analysis was used as a predictor.
Results:
A total of 18 studies including 1389 participants were identified, and the follow-up periods ranged from 1 to 16 years. The pooled remission rate of pediatric OCD was 62% (95% confidence interval: 52–72). Shorter duration of OCD at baseline (R2 = 78.04%, p < 0.0001) predicted higher rates of remission.
Conclusions:
The outcome of pediatric OCD seems to be better than the past. Shorter duration of illness appears to be related to a better outcome. Early detection of pediatric OCD and early intervention play an important role in good prognosis. In the future, studies based on multicenter, longer follow-up studies with larger samples were needed to confirm these issues for the outcome of pediatric OCD.
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