조기 발병과 후기 발병 공황장애의 임상적 특징 비교 :예비 연구

Comparison of Clinical Characteristics between Early-Onset and Late-Onset Panic Disorder : A Preliminary Study

Objective：The objective of this study is to clarify the clinical characteristics of late-onset panic disorder (PD) compared to early-onset PD in symptoms frequency, severity, and quality of life. Methods：516 patients with PD were included in this study. Patients with PD onset at 60 or after were grouped (late-onset), and compared with the group with onset at 20 or earlier (early-onset). The following instruments were applied : Beck Depression Inven-tory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Panic Disorder Severity Scale, Albany Panic and Phobia Questionnaire, Anxiety Sensitivity Invento-ry-Revised, and Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. SPSS version 21.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results：Late-onset PD was 4.84% of all PD patients, and the mean age was 64.68±4.36 years. Late-onset PD exhibited fewer panic symptoms and scored lower on most scales assessing clinical severity. However, the panic-related symptoms severity showed significant negative correlations with scores of quality of life, especially in physical functioning subscale, among the late-onset PD patients. Conclusion：These findings suggest that less severe panic symptoms may contribute to underdiagnosing PD in this elderly pop-ulation. However, the panic-related symptoms severity plays an important role in quality of life among the late-onset PD patients. It suggests to implement specific strategies considering the age at onset in clinical approach among patients with PD.