Effect of Short-Term Pharmacotherapy on Anxiety Sensitivity in Panic Disorder.
- Author:
Young Hee CHOI
1
;
Ji Hae KIM
;
Young Jin LIM
;
Jeong Ho CHAE
;
Jong Min WOO
;
Hanwook RYU
;
Bum Hee YU
Author Information
1. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Panic disorder;
Anxiety sensitivity;
Pharmacotherapy
- MeSH:
Agoraphobia;
Anxiety*;
Benzodiazepines;
Cognition;
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders;
Drug Therapy*;
Humans;
Panic Disorder*;
Panic*;
Paroxetine;
Surveys and Questionnaires;
Sensation
- From:Korean Journal of Psychopharmacology
2004;15(3):333-338
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to examine the effects of 3 months of pharmacological treatment on anxiety sensitivity in patients with panic disorder. METHODS: Patients (N=32) who met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were treated with paroxetine and/or benzodiazepines for 3 months. Symptom improvement was assessed by using PDSS (Panic Disorder Severity Scale), and anxiety sensitivity using Anxiety Sensitivity Index Revised (ASI-R), Agoraphobic Cognition Questionnaire (ACQ), Body Sensation Questionnaire (BSQ). Ttest, paired T-test, and paired F-test were performed. RESULTS: Patients with panic disorder showed significant reduction in the measurement of severity of illness and anxiety sensitivity after 3 months of pharmacotherapy. However, they still showed higher scores in the ASI-R and ACQ after 3 months of pharmacotherapy compared to normal control subjects. After pharmacotherapy, they showed significant changes in ASI-R after controlling for changes in ACQ and BSQ. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that short-term pharmacological treatment is effective on anxiety sensitivity reduction in panic disorder patients with or without agoraphobia. But this study doesn't show that short-term pharmacological treatment normalizes anxiety sensitivity to levels that are characteristic of normal control samples.
