Panic disorder and subthreshold panic in the UK general population: epidemiology, comorbidity and functional limitation.
OBJECTIVE
The epidemiology of panic disorder has not been investigated in the past in the UK using a nationally representative sample of the population. The aim of the present paper was to examine the epidemiology, comorbidity and functional impairment of subthreshold panic and panic disorder with or without agoraphobia.


METHODS
We used data from the 2000 Office for National Statistics Psychiatric Morbidity survey (N=8580). Panic disorder and agoraphobia were assessed with the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R).


RESULTS
The prevalence of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia was 1.70% (95% confidence interval: 1.41-2.03%). Subthreshold panic was more common. Economic inactivity was consistently associated with all syndromes. The comorbidity pattern of the panic syndromes and the associated functional impairment show that panic-related conditions are important public health problems, even in subthreshold status.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings show that efforts to reduce the disability associated with psychiatric disorders should include detection and management of panic disorder.
Skapinakis
P
P
Academic Unit of Psychiatry, University of Bristol, Cotham House, Cotham Hill, BS6 6JL Bristol, UK. p.skapinakis@bristol.ac.uk
Lewis
G
G
Davies
S
S
Brugha
T
T
Prince
M
M
Singleton
N
N
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010200:Panic; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology