title: Baseline heartbeat perception accuracy and short-term outcome of brief cognitive-behaviour therapy for panic disorder with agoraphobia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased heartbeat perception accuracy (HBP-accuracy) may contribute to the pathogenesis of Panic Disorder (PD) without or with Agoraphobia (PDA). Extant research suggests that HBP-accuracy is a rather stable individual characteristic, moreover predictive of worse long-term outcome in PD/PDA patients. However, it remains still unexplored whether HBP-accuracy adversely affects patients' short-term outcome after structured cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for PD/PDA.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the potential association between HBP-accuracy and the short-term outcome of a structured brief-CBT for the acute treatment of PDA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed baseline HBP-accuracy using the "mental tracking" paradigm in 25 consecutive medication-free, CBT-naive PDA patients. Patients then underwent a structured, protocol-based, 8-session CBT by the same therapist. Outcome measures included the number of panic attacks during the past week, the Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ), and the Mobility Inventory-Alone subscale (MI-alone).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No association emerged between baseline HBP-accuracy and posttreatment changes concerning number of panic attacks. Moreover, higher baseline HBP-accuracy was associated with significantly larger reductions in the scores of the ACQ and the MI-alone scales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that in PDA patients undergoing structured brief-CBT for the acute treatment of their symptoms, higher baseline HBP-accuracy is not associated with worse short-term outcome concerning panic attacks. Furthermore, higher baseline HBP-accuracy may be associated with enhanced therapeutic gains in agoraphobic cognitions and behaviours.
authors: Athens University Medical School,Greece.
authors: Vasilios G
authors: VG
authors: Masdrakis
authors: Athens University Medical School,Greece.
authors: Emilia-Maria
authors: EM
authors: Legaki
authors: Athens University Medical School,Greece.
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Vaidakis
authors: Athens University Medical School,Greece.
authors: Dimitrios
authors: D
authors: Ploumpidis
authors: Athens University Medical School,Greece.
authors: Constantin R
authors: CR
authors: Soldatos
authors: Athens University Medical School,Greece.
authors: Charalambos
authors: C
authors: Papageorgiou
authors: Athens University Medical School,Greece.
authors: George N
authors: GN
authors: Papadimitriou
authors: Athens University Medical School,Greece.
authors: Panagiotis
authors: P
authors: Oulis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010465:Perception; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Cognitive-behaviour therapy; heartbeat perception; interoception; panic disorder with agoraphobia