title: Family history of alcohol use disorders among adults with panic disorder in the community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clinical studies suggest a familial association between panic disorder and alcohol use disorders but this relationship has not been examined in a representative community sample. The objective of this study is to examine the familial association between panic disorder and alcohol use disorders among adults in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from the NESARC, a nationally representative sample of over 43,000 adults in the United States. Rates of alcohol use disorders were examined using the family history method in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of adults with panic disorder. Analyses were adjusted for demographics, alcohol use disorders in the proband, and anxiety disorders in the FDRs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  First-degree relatives of adults with panic disorder have significantly higher odds of alcohol use disorders, compared with FDRs of adults without panic disorder. These associations persist after adjusting for demographic characteristics, alcohol use disorders in the proband, and anxiety disorders in the FDR's.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with findings from clinical studies, this is the first population-based study to show a familial link between panic disorder and alcohol use disorders. This association appears independent of the influence of comorbidity of alcohol use disorders and anxiety disorders, suggesting a potential familial and/or genetic pathway. Future longitudinal studies will be needed to further understand the mechanism of this observed association.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, Rm 1505, New York, NY 10032, USA. rdg66@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Renee D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.forename: Joshua D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lipsitz
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keyes
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galea
authors.forename: Abby J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult