Predictors of outcome in panic disorder: a 5-year prospective follow-up study

A prospective 5-year follow-up study in patients with panic disorder was carried out in order to determine predictors of outcome. 50 patients presenting at an outpatient clinic for anxiety disorders were enrolled initially in a controlled treatment study using either imipramine or doxepin in addition to supportive psychotherapy and were then followed under naturalistic treatment conditions. By means of multiple stepwise regression analyses comorbidity with current depression, severity of illness and agoraphobic avoidance turned out to be the strongest predictors. These data confirm the findings of shorter-term prospective follow-up studies and of retrospective studies. In contrast to several reports, illness-related social impairment at baseline was not found to affect outcome.