Caffeine and 35% carbon dioxide challenge tests in panic disorder

✍ Scribed by Antonio E. Nardi; Alexandre M. Valença; Fabiana L. Lopes; Valfrido L. de-Melo-Neto; Rafael C. Freire; Andre B. Veras; Isabella Nascimento; Anna Lucia King; Gastão L. Soares-Filho; Marco A. Mezzasalma; Walter A. Zin

• Book ID: 102265614
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 125 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6222
• DOI: 10.1002/hup.840

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Our aim was to compare the demographic and clinical features of panic disorder (PD) patients with agoraphobia—DSM‐IV—who had a panic attack after both an oral caffeine and the 35% carbon dioxide (CO~2~) challenge tests (responsive group) and compare them with PD patients who did not have a panic attack after both tests (non‐responsive group). We examined 83 PD patients submitted to a 35% CO~2~ test and to an oral caffeine (480 mg) intake within 1 week interval. A panic attack was induced in 51 (61.4%) patients during the CO~2~ test (χ^2^ = 31.67, df = 1, p < 0.001) and in 38 (45.8%) patients during the caffeine test (χ^2^ = 18.28, df = 1, p = 0.023). All patients who had a panic attack during the caffeine test also had a panic attack during the CO~2~ test (n = 38)—responsive group. The responsive had more (χ^2^ = 24.55, df = 1, p = 0.008) respiratory PD subtype, disorder started earlier (Mann‐Whitney, p < 0.001) had a higher familial prevalence of PD (χ^2^ = 20.34, df = 1, p = 0.019), less previous alcohol abuse (χ^2^ = 23.42, df = 1, p < 0.001), and had more previous depressive episodes (χ^2^ = 27.35, df = 1, p < 0.001). Our data suggest that there is an association between respiratory PD subtype and hyperreactivity to challenge tests: CO~2~ and oral caffeine. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.