Gender-related distribution of personality disorders in a sample of patients with panic disorder.
OBJECTIVE
We examined gender differences in the frequency of DSM-IV personality disorder diagnoses in a sample of patients with a diagnosis of panic disorder (PD).


METHODS
One hundred and eighty-four outpatients with a principal diagnosis of PD (DSM-IV) were enrolled. All patients were evaluated with a semi-structured interview to collect demographic and clinical data and to generate Axis I and Axis II diagnoses in accordance with DSM-IV criteria.


RESULTS
Males were significantly more likely than females to meet diagnoses for schizoid and borderline personality disorder. Compared to males, females predominated in histrionic and cluster C diagnoses, particularly dependent personality disorder diagnoses. A significant interaction was found between female sex and agoraphobia on personality disorder (PD) distribution.


CONCLUSIONS
Male PD patients seem to be characterized by more severe personality disorders, while female PD patients, particularly with co-morbid agoraphobia, have higher co-morbidity rates with personality disorders belonging to the 'anxious-fearful cluster'.
Barzega
G
G
Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Section Via Cherasco 11 10126, Torino, Italy.
Maina
G
G
Venturello
S
S
Bogetto
F
F
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution