Quality of sleep in escitalopram-treated female patients with panic disorder

The purpose of this study was to assess the development of the night-activity rhythm and quality of sleep during escitalopram treatment of patients suffering from panic disorder.

Fifteen women with panic disorder were included and followed-up over a 5-week study period during treatment with escitalopram. An age-matched control group of 15 women were also assessed for 1 week. Motor activity was continuously measured with an electronic wrist device (Actiwatch), sleep was assessed with the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and patients were clinically assessed with the panic and agoraphobic scale (P&A), the global assessment of functioning (GAF) score, the Hamilton depression and anxiety scales (HAM-D, HAM-A) and the clinical global impression (CGI) score.

There was a statistically significant difference on the self-rated PSQI between the panic disorder patients and the control group. This difference disappeared after 4 weeks of treatment with escitalopram. There was no statistically significant difference of the objective measurements of the Actiwatch between the patients and the control group. In addition, no statistically significant changes were found in the actigraphy measurements at the beginning and the end of the treatment period for patients with panic disorder.

Patients with panic disorder rate their sleep worse than healthy controls. Treatment with escitalopram improved the subjective quality of sleep, whereas objective measures remained unchanged during treatment.