Predicting treatment outcome for panic disorder and agoraphobia in primary care

✍ Scribed by D. M. Sharp; K. G. Power

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 126 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1063-3995
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0879(199911)6:5<336::aid-cpp205>3.0.co;2-h

✦ Synopsis

The ability to predict post-treatment response on indices of pretreatment condition is likely to have considerable clinical utility. Previous attempts to identify prognostic indicators are reviewed and methodological problems in such research discussed. The present study attempts improvements in study methodology including the use of standardized measures of outcome and predictor variables, and the controlled definition of the clinical significance of treatment outcome. In a sample of n 149 patients with DSM III-R panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, logistic regression analyses were used to predict clinically significant versus non-significant outcome following treatment with fluvoxamine, placebo and cognitive behaviour therapy used alone and in combination. Findings indicated good prediction of post-treatment response with predictor variables measuring anxiety level, frequency of panic attacks and extroversion all showing some predictive value over and above that found for treatment received. Prediction of outcome at 6 month follow-up was less impressive.