Quality of life and treatment outcome in panic disorder: cognitive behavior group therapy effects in patients refractory to medication treatment.
BACKGROUND
Improvements in quality of life (QoL) as well as symptomatic relief are important outcomes for the treatment of panic disorder (PD). The aim of this study is to assess the impact of brief cognitive behavior group therapy (CBGT) for panic disorder on QoL and to identify the clinical features associated with these changes.


METHODS
Thirty-six patients with PD refractory to pharmacological treatment took part in a treatment protocol consisting of 12 sessions of CBGT. To evaluate the changes in QoL, the WHOQOL-bref was administered before and after treatment.


RESULTS
Thirty-two patients completed the treatment. Significant improvement in all domains of QoL was observed (p< 0.001), which was associated with reductions in general and anticipatory anxiety (p = 0.018) and agoraphobic avoidance (p = 0.046). Consistent with previous findings, associations between QoL and panic-free status did not reach significance in this small study (p = 0.094).


CONCLUSIONS
CBGT was efficacious in the treatment of PD; the symptoms of anticipatory anxiety and avoidance appear to be more important than episodic panic episodes in affecting QoL.
Heldt
Elizeth
E
Program of Anxiety Disorders, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Blaya
Carolina
C
Isolan
Luciano
L
Kipper
Leticia
L
Teruchkin
Betina
B
Otto
Michael W
MW
Fleck
Marcelo
M
Manfro
Gisele G
GG
D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012919:Social Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome