Quality of life in early phases of panic disorder: predictive factors.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the quality of life (QoL) of patients with panic disorder of recent onset and to find related clinical variables.


METHODS
Panic disorder patients with and without agoraphobia (N=125) in the first stages of the disorder (median of 8 months since the first panic attack) were compared with a community control group. Quality of life was evaluated by 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and by a single-item scale evaluating subjective well-being.


RESULTS
Panic disorder patients had worse scores than the general population in all of the dimensions of the SF-36. Anxiety and depressive symptoms, age, frequency of panic attacks and agoraphobic avoidance accounted for 18-42% of the variance in QoL scores. Frequency of panic attacks and agoraphobic avoidance were variables accounting for poor QoL in physical functioning and mental health respectively. However, unspecific factors in addition to panic symptomatology, particularly depressive and anxiety symptoms, significantly contribute to the worse QoL of these patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Panic disorder of recent onset is a deteriorating condition. Clinical variables do not equally affect mental health and physical functioning, and unspecific factors in addition to panic contribute to the poor QoL.
Carrera
María
M
Panic Disorder Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
Herrán
Andrés
A
Ayuso-Mateos
José Luís
JL
Sierra-Biddle
Deirdre
D
Ramírez
Maria Luz
ML
Ayestarán
Ana
A
Hoyuela
Fernando
F
Rodríguez-Cabo
Beatriz
B
Vázquez-Barquero
José Luís
JL
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012016:Reference Values; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013030:Spain; D013223:Statistics as Topic