The optimal duration for maintaining antidepressant treatment in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who achieve symptom stabilization remains unclear.

This systematic review and pairwise meta-analysis of double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trials (DBRPCTs) compared antidepressant maintenance and antidepressant discontinuation groups in terms of relapse rate at each DBRPCT study endpoint (primary outcome), OCD symptom improvement, all-cause discontinuation, and adverse event-related discontinuation. Furthermore, relapse rates at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks were compared between the groups. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The absolute risk reduction (ARR) and number needed to treat to benefit (NNTB) for relapse rates were also estimated.

Nine trials (n = 1084; mean age: 32.8 years; proportion of males: 53.3%) were included. The antidepressant maintenance group had lower relapse rates at each DBRPCT study endpoint (RR [95% CI] = 0.53 [0.42–0.68]; ARR = 21.0%; NNTB = 5) and lower all-cause and adverse event-related discontinuation rates than the antidepressant discontinuation group. The maintenance group also exhibited lower relapse rates at 4 weeks (RR [95% CI] = 0.47 [0.31–0.70]; ARR: not significant; NNTB: not significant), 8 weeks (0.42 [0.31–0.57]; 12.0%; 8), 12 weeks (0.43 [0.32–0.56]; 18.0%; 6), 16 weeks (0.41 [0.32–0.52]; 25.0%; 4), 20 weeks (0.43 [0.34–0.53]; 26.0%; 4), and 24 weeks (0.42 [0.33–0.52]; 27.0%; 4) than the discontinuation group. Moreover, the maintenance group outperformed the discontinuation group regarding OCD symptom improvement.

Individuals with OCD may benefit from continued antidepressant treatment, provided that it is well tolerated.