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Relative hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with panic disorder: a case-control study
Christian Meier1, Ursula Harbrecht, Reinhard Liedtke
1Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Neuropsychobiology
|July 15, 2010
Summary
Elevated plasma homocysteine levels are linked to panic disorder. This finding suggests a potential pathway contributing to cardiovascular risks in individuals experiencing anxiety.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Panic disorder is a significant clinical condition.
- The relationship between panic disorder and plasma homocysteine is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between clinically relevant panic disorder and plasma total homocysteine concentration.
- To explore potential links between panic disorder, homocysteine levels, and cardiovascular risk.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 23 patients with panic disorder and 23 matched healthy controls.
- Standardized clinical interviews (Structural Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-German version) were used for diagnosis.
- Plasma total homocysteine concentrations were measured using competitive enzyme immunoassay, controlling for covariates.
Main Results:
- Patients with panic disorder exhibited significantly higher plasma homocysteine concentrations compared to controls (11.00 vs. 9.14 mumol/l, p=0.04).
- Plasma homocysteine concentration positively correlated with the Global Severity of Symptoms (SCL-K9, r=0.41, p<0.01).
- These results remained significant after controlling for age, gender, smoking status, comorbid depression, and antidepressant medication.
Conclusions:
- The study suggests a significant link between elevated plasma homocysteine levels and panic disorder.
- This finding may indicate a novel pathway contributing to an increased risk of cardiovascular events in anxious individuals.
- Further research is warranted to explore the clinical implications of this association.
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