공황장애에서 단기약물치료가 불안민감도에 미치는 영향

Effect of Short-Term Pharmacotherapy on Anxiety Sensitivity in Panic Disorder

Objective: This study was designed to examine the effects of 3 months of pharmacological treatment on anxiety sensitivity in patients with panic disorder, Methods: Patients (N=32) who met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia were treated with paroxetine and/or benzodiazepines for 3 months. Symptom improve-ment was assessed by using PDSS (Panic Disorder Severity Scale), and anxiety sensitivity using Anxiety Sensitivity Index Revised (ASI-R), Agoraphobic Cognition Questionnaire (ACQ), Body Sensation Questionnaire (BSQ). T?test, paired T-test, and paired F-test were performed. Results: Patients with panic disorder showed significant reduction in the measurement of severity of illness and anxiety sensitivity after 3 months of pharmacotherapy. However, they still showed higher scores in the ASI-R and ACQ after 3 months of pharmacotherapy compared to normal control subjects. After pharmacotherapy, they showed significant changes in ASI-R after controlling for changes in ACQ and BSQ. Conclusions: This study suggests that short-term pharmacological treatment is effective on anxiety sensitivity reduction in panic disorder patients with or without agoraphobia. But this study doesn't show that short-term pharmacological treatment normalizes anxiety sensitivity to levels that are characteristic of normal control samples. (Korcan J Psyehopharmacol 2004; IS(3):333-33H)