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Caffeine and 35% carbon dioxide challenge tests in panic disorder
Author(s) -
Nardi Antonio E.,
Valença Alexandre M.,
Lopes Fabiana L.,
deMeloNeto Valfrido L.,
Freire Rafael C.,
Veras Andre B.,
Nascimento Isabella,
King Anna Lucia,
SoaresFilho Gastão L.,
Mezzasalma Marco A.,
Zin Walter A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
human psychopharmacology: clinical and experimental
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.461
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1099-1077
pISSN - 0885-6222
DOI - 10.1002/hup.840
Subject(s) - panic , agoraphobia , panic disorder , caffeine , medicine , psychiatry , gastroenterology , anxiety
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.