title: Pulmonary function in panic disorder: evidence against the dyspnea-fear theory.
abstract: The present study addresses the hypothesis consistent with the dyspnea-fear theory of panic, that in a subgroup of panic patients a non-pathological pulmonary obstructive component may induce dyspnea, dyspneic fear and, ultimately, panic. In 38 patients who met DSM-III-R criteria for panic disorder, pulmonary function was assessed and various measurements for panic symptoms and concomitant psychopathology were collected. In comparison to patients with a high Forced Expiratory Flow at 50% (FEF 50%), low FEF 50% patients demonstrated significantly lower levels of Forced Expiratory Volume (first second) and Peak Expiratory Flow and significantly lower FEV1/FVC ratios. None of the differences on psychological measurements for symptom severity between low and high FEF 50% patients proved to be significant. Moreover, FEF 50% scores and FEV1/FVC ratios were not correlated to any of the measures for panic or associated psychopathology. It is concluded that the existence of a distinct subgroup of panic patients with signs of actual airway obstruction leading to uncontrollable dyspnea and fear of suffocation remains questionable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Leiden, Oegstgeest, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spinhoven
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Onstein
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Sterk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011603:Psychophysiology