Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

Objectives：The goal of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics of panic disorder respiratory subtype(PD-R) and non-respiratory subtype(PD-NR). 

Methods：84 patients with panic disorder were enrolled and divided into 2 groups, 29 PD-R and 55 PD-NR. Diagnosis of panic disorder was evaluated using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. They were also measured with Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety(HAM-A), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression(HAM-D), and Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS). 

Results：PD-R group showed significantly higher scores in PDSS than those of PD-NR group(p=.027). After controlling for the severity of panic disorder and gender, PD-R group showed higher HAM-D and somatic anxiety subscale of HAM-A than those of PD-NR group. Furthermore, results of logistic regression analysis suggested that the somatic anxiety was a possible risk factor of PD-R(OR=1.404,p=0.009).

Conclusion：These results suggest that somatic anxiety and depressive symptom would be important clinical characteristics of PD-R.

Keywords Panic disorder;Respiratory subtype;Somatic anxiety.