Panic disorder in menopause: a case control study.
OBJECTIVE
The course of panic disorder (PD) is often influenced by the different phases of the female reproductive cycle. The aim of this study is to assess PD in the climacteric stage and single out possible correlations between symptoms of PD and clinical and demographic variables in order to identify possible risk factors.


METHODS
Forty-five women between 40 and 60 years of age was assessed through the SCL-90, the SCID, a "Climacteric Symptoms Questionnaire" (CSQ) devised to evaluate psychological symptoms typically associated with menopause, the Kupperman Index for the analysis of climacteric symptoms, and plasma level of allopregnanolone (ALLO).


RESULTS
PD results in eight patients (18%). This group does not differ from the controls as far as socio-demographic data is concerned, but exhibits significantly higher values in the Kupperman Index, the SCL-90 total, and the CSQ. The plasma levels of ALLO correlate significantly inversely with the total of CSQ and, in any case, negatively with the other variables analysed.


CONCLUSIONS
PD may arise and worsen with menopause, in correlation with greater severity of the climacteric syndrome in its physical and psychological symptoms.
Claudia
Pacchierotti
P
Psychiatry Section, Department of Neurosciences, University of Siena, Italy. claudia.pacchierotti@inwind.it
Andrea
Castrogiovanni
C
Chiara
Cavicchioli
C
Stefano
Luisi
L
Giuseppe
Morgante
M
Vincenzo
De Leo
DL
Felice
Petraglia
P
Paolo
Castrogiovanni
C
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008593:Menopause / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D011280:Pregnanolone