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Long-Term Follow-up after a Drug Trial for Panic Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Heinz Katschnig ,
Michaela Amering ,
Jon M. Stolk ,
Gerald L. Klerman ,
James C. Ballenger ,
Andrew Briggs ,
Raimund Buller ,
Giovanni Cassano ,
Michael Garvey  and
Sir Martin Roth
...Show all authors
Heinz Katschnig*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Vienna, Austria
Michaela Amering
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Vienna, Austria
Jon M. Stolk
Affiliation:
Quintiles Inc., Chapel Hill, NC, USA
Gerald L. Klerman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Cornell Medical Center, New York
James C. Ballenger
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
Andrew Briggs
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Leicester, UK
Raimund Buller
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Mainz, Germany
Giovanni Cassano
Affiliation:
Psychiatric Clinic II, University of Pisa, Italy
Michael Garvey
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
Sir Martin Roth
Affiliation:
Clinical School, University of Cambridge, UK
Carol Solyom
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University Hospital, Vancouver, Canada
*
Professor Katschnig, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18–20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
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Abstract

Background

This study investigates the naturalistic course of panic disorder over four years and attempts to identify predictors for outcome.

Method

423 DSM–III–R panic disorder patients who had taken part in an international multicentre drug trial were selected for follow-up; we were able to re-interview 367 (87%). For panic attacks, phobic avoidance and disabilities the same rating scales were administered as had been used for the clinical trials.

Results

While 61 % of all patients experienced at least occasional panic attacks at follow-up, few suffered from serious phobic avoidance (16.7%) or serious disabilities (work 7.9%; family 8.7%; social 13.9%). Panic attack frequency at baseline, original trial medication and continuous use of psychotropic medication during follow-up are not related to outcome, whereas longer duration of illness and more severe phobic avoidance at baseline are unfavourable.

Conclusion

The course of panic disorder is not uniform. Since long duration of illness and severe phobic avoidance at baseline are predictors for an unfavourable outcome, more rigorous efforts should be undertaken to detect and treat panic disorder at an early stage.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 167 , Issue 4 , October 1995 , pp. 487 - 494
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

∗

Died 3 April 1992.

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