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Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with panic disorder
Albina Rodrigues Torres1, André Marcelo Dedomenico, André Luiz Crepaldi
1Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Comprehensive Psychiatry
|May 5, 2004
Summary
A significant number of patients with panic disorder (PD) also experience obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This highlights the need to screen for OCS in PD patients for better treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Comorbidity studies reveal a significant association between panic disorder (PD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Understanding the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in PD patients is crucial for comprehensive care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of OCS and OCD in patients diagnosed with PD.
- To investigate the relationship and potential overlap between PD and OCS/OCD.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted on 48 consecutive patients diagnosed with PD according to DSM-IV criteria.
- The Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) checklist was utilized to identify OCS.
- Subclinical OCD was defined by meeting all but one DSM-IV criterion for OCD.
Main Results:
- 60.4% of PD patients exhibited at least one OCS.
- 18.8% had mild OCS, 22.9% had subclinical OCD, and 18.8% had comorbid OCD.
- 41.7% of patients presented with either clinical or subclinical OCD; OCS were more common in women and often preceded PD onset.
Conclusions:
- Systematic screening for OCS in PD patients is recommended due to significant symptom overlap.
- Identifying OCS in PD patients has potential therapeutic implications.
- OCS may be underdiagnosed in PD patients as they often focus on panic symptoms.