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Anxiety sensitivity and 35% CO2 reactivity in patients with panic disorder
Giampaolo Perna1, Pietra Romano, Daniela Caldirola
1Anxiety Disorders Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Neuropsychiatric Sciences, Istituto Scientifico HS Raffaele, 29 via Prinetti, 20127 Milan, Italy. perna.giampaolo@hsr.it
Objective:
The present study examines the possible relationships between anxiety sensitivity (AS) and reactivity to the 35% carbon dioxide (CO(2)) challenge in panic disorder (PD).
Methods:
One-hundred eight patients with PD underwent the 35% CO(2) challenge and completed the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI). Multiple regression analyses were applied to evaluate the role of AS as a predictor of CO(2)-induced anxiety.
Results:
Fifty-six patients with PD showed high AS scores, whereas 48 showed medium scores and 4 low scores. ASI scores significantly predicted symptomatological reaction to CO(2) but not subjective induced anxiety.
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that the fear of anxiety-related bodily sensations was related to the symptomatological reactivity to CO(2) but did not seem to play a crucial role in the modulation of the subjective anxiogenic/panicogenic response to hypercapnia in patients with PD.