Reduction of gastrointestinal symptoms following treatment for panic disorder

Symptoms of gastrointestinal distress, including those of irritable bowel syndrome, were reported more frequently by patients with panic disorder than by nonanxious controls. Five of 30 subjects with panic disorder met criteria for irritable bowel syndrome, the onset of which coincided with the onset of panic disorder. Effective treatment for the anxiety disorder was accompanied by a reduction in gastrointestinal symptoms in all subjects.