[Links between panic disorder, depression, defence mechanisms, coherence and family functioning in patients suffering...

Severe asthma, a dangerous, life-threatening lung disease is often comorbid with psychiatric problems. They in turn, could be a cause of bad asthma treatment outcome.

The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of panic disorder and depression among patients with severe asthma. Defence style, sense of coherence and family functioning of patients were analysed in a link with psychiatric symptoms.

The authors examined 97 patients suffering from severe asthma. Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Polish version 5.0.0., Panic and Agoraphobia Scale, Beck's Depression Inventory, Family Functioning Questionnaire (KOR), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-29), Defence Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40) and Life Inventory were used.

The study revealed that 70 % of the group with severe asthma suffered also from panic disorder and 35% from depression (6% with severe depression). Depression was linked with severe panic symptoms and poor asthma treatment outcome. The more severe the course of panic disorder, the more severe depression, the more frequent use of an immature defence style, lower sense of coherence and impaired family functioning. CONCLUSION. It is highly possible, that psychiatric problems affect the severity of asthma.