title: Unexplained chest pain in the ED: could it be panic?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed at (1) establishing the prevalence of paniclike anxiety in emergency department (ED) patients with unexplained chest pain (UCP); (2) describing and comparing the sociodemographic, medical, and psychiatric characteristics of UCP patients with and without paniclike anxiety; and (3) measuring the rate of identification of panic in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A structured interview, the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, was administered to identify paniclike anxiety and evaluate patients' psychiatric status. Anxious and depressive symptoms were evaluated with self-report questionnaires. Medical information was extracted from patients' medical records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of paniclike anxiety was 44% (95% CI, 40%-48%) in the sample (n = 771). Psychiatric disorders were more common in panic patients (63.4% vs 20.1%), as were suicidal thoughts (21.3% vs 11.3%). Emergency physician diagnosed only 7.4% of panic cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Paniclike anxiety is common in ED patients with UCP, and this condition is rarely diagnosed in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Quebec, Canada. guill.foldesbusque@videotron.ca
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Foldes-Busque
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marchand
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Chauny
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poitras
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diodati
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Denis
authors.forename: Marie-Josée
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lessard
authors.forename: Marie-Ève
authors.initials: MÈ
authors.lastname: Pelland
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fleet
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires