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Subtyping of Panic Disorder by Symptom Profile

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Andrew C. Briggs*
Affiliation:
The Department of Psychiatry
David D. Stretch
Affiliation:
The Department of Psychiatry
Sydney Brandon
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester, Clinical Sciences Building, Leicester Royal Infirmary, PO Box 65, Leicester LE2 7LX
*
Correspondence

Abstract

During Phase II of the Cross-National Panic Study, descriptions of the patient's last severe panic attack were collected for 1168 patients. Statistical analysis indicated that patients could be divided into two groups, characterised by the presence or absence of prominent respiratory symptoms. The two groups did not differ on demographic variables or coexisting diagnoses, but they did differ on psychopathology on entry to the study and treatment outcome. The group with prominent respiratory symptoms suffered more spontaneous panic attacks and responded to imipramine, whereas the group without prominent respiratory symptoms suffered more situational panic attacks and responded more to alprazolam. It is important to distinguish spontaneous and situational panic attacks, to aid choice of treatment.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1993 

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