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Anxiety sensitivity and panic attacks in an asthmatic population
R E Carr1, P M Lehrer, L L Rausch
1Department of psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, UMDNJ, Piscataway 08854-5635.
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|May 1, 1994
Summary
Anxiety sensitivity, not lung function, is linked to panic disorder (PD) in asthma patients. Cognitive models of PD apply to those with pulmonary conditions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Pulmonology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Asthma patients frequently experience anxiety and panic attacks.
- The relationship between asthma, panic disorder (PD), and anxiety sensitivity is not fully understood.
- Pulmonary function may influence the experience of panic symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between anxiety sensitivity, panic attacks, and pulmonary function in asthma patients.
- To compare anxiety sensitivity and related cognitive/somatic measures in asthmatics with and without PD, non-asthmatic PD patients, and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Ninety-three asthma patients completed questionnaires and spirometry.
- Panic disorder (PD) diagnosis was based on DSM-IIIR criteria.
- Participants were assessed using the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), Body Sensations Questionnaire, and Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire.
Main Results:
- 23% of asthma patients reported panic attacks; 9.7% met criteria for PD.
- Anxiety sensitivity (ASI) scores, but not pulmonary function, significantly correlated with PD.
- Asthma patients with PD and non-asthmatic PD patients showed elevated ASI, Body Sensations Questionnaire, and Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire scores compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Anxiety sensitivity is a significant factor in panic disorder (PD) among asthma patients.
- Pulmonary function does not appear to be directly related to PD in this population.
- The cognitive model of PD is applicable to individuals with pulmonary disease, including asthma.