title: Reactivity to a 35% CO2 challenge in healthy first-degree relatives of patients with panic disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of a 35% CO2 challenge were examined in healthy first-degree relatives of panic disorder patients and in healthy control subjects matched for age and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  One single inhalation of a 35% CO2/65% O2 challenge was administered to 50 first-degree relatives of panic disorder patients and 50 control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first-degree relatives were more reactive to the 35% CO2 challenge than the control subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that being a member of a family with a panic disorder patient is, in itself an important factor in CO2 hypersensitivity among subjects who have never experienced a panic attack. Both panic disorder patients and their first-degree relatives have a tendency to be more reactive to the CO2 challenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Beek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Griez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide