title: Nonfearful panic disorder in chest-pain patients: status after nine-year follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nonfearful panic disorder (NFPD) is a type of panic disorder (PD) that was first described in 1987 among cardiology patients who had panic attacks without the experience of fear. NFPD may be considered a subtype of PD with significant impact on the long-term outcome of chest pain patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The authors sought to explore the long-term outcome of NFPD and PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Authors studied 199 patients previously referred to cardiology outpatient investigation because of chest pain. Assessments comprising cardiological and psychiatric (SCID-I) examinations were conducted after 9 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At follow-up, no patients suffered from NFPD, but 18% had panic disorder with fear (PD). There were no significant differences between the baseline NFPD (N=11) and PD (N=44) patients regarding psychiatric comorbidity, chest pain, healthcare utilization, and health-related quality of life at follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NFPD can have a significant impact on the long-term outcome of chest pain patients even though they may not seek psychiatric treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research and Education, Psychiatric Division, Ullevaal University Hospital, 0407 Oslo, Norway. christine.bringager@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Christine B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Bringager
authors.forename: Katrine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gauer
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arnesen
authors.forename: Svein
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Friis
authors.forename: Toril
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dammen
mesh_terms: D002309:Cardiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires