Decreased plasma cortisol level during alprazolam treatment of panic disorder: a case report.
1. Changes in the plasma cortisol level were reported in a male patient with panic disorder during the period of low-dose alprazolam treatment (mean 0.62 +/- 0.15 mg/day) compared with during the period of high-dose period (mean 1.08 +/- 0.28 mg/day). 2. The plasma cortisol level was significantly higher in the low-dose period (mean 13.90 +/- 3.35 micrograms/ml) than in the high-dose period (mean 9.06 +/- 2.75 micrograms/ml) although, paradoxically, the panic attack frequency was significantly lower in the low-dose period (mean 1.35 +/- 0.29/day) than in the high-dose period (mean 2.09 +/- 0.66/day). 3. Thus, the decreased plasma cortisol level during alprazolam treatment of panic disorder was suggested to be caused not by symptom alleviation due to alprazolam but by alprazolam administration itself.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Tokyo, Japan.
M
M
Fukuda
S
S
Takazawa
K
K
Nakagome
A
A
Iwanami
A
A
Hata
K
K
Kasai
K
K
Hiramatsu
D000328:Adult; D000525:Alprazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D006728:Hormones; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D000525:Alprazolam