Prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in general population is 2–3%. This high prevalence is not often reflected in number of assitances to Emergency Department. There are few studies that analyze the characteristics of OCD patients assisting to psychiatric emergency services.

To establish the profile of these patients, determining aswell their type of emergency assistance, time distribution and why they relapse. We used the SPSS 17 package.

A retrospective and descriptive study of attendances at the Psychiatry Emergency Department of Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela in a sample of patients fitting the ICD-10 criteria for OCD diagnosis (n = 45). Time period: from 9TH July 2007 to 26TH September 2010.

From 5091 attendances at the Psychiatry Emergency Department, 45 patients had an OCD diagnosis (57.8% women), with a mean age of 33.31 ± 11.58 years. 68.9% came from rural areas. 44.4% had comorbid psychiatric disorders.68.9% came by own initiative. In 28.9% the consultation was anxiety, 15.6% obsessive symptoms and 11% affective symptoms. 13.3% were admitted to a psychiatric ward.There was lower attendance between 0:00–08:00 AM and on Fridays. The months with more attendance were August and September.12% had more than one assitance, 85.7% were women with anxiety symptoms (38%) and with personality disorder as the most frequent comorbid diagnosis.

Patient's profile: “33 years old female from countryside, presenting anxiety symptoms, who comes only once and by own initiative. Doesn’t have comorbid psychiatric disorders. After the psychiatric evaluation she is discharged to outpatient's psychiatric follow-up”.