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Respiratory patterns in panic disorder reviewed: a focus on biological challenge tests
Author(s) -
Niccolai V.,
Van Duinen M. A.,
Griez E. J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2009.01408.x
Subject(s) - respiratory system , panic disorder , respiration , tidal volume , respiratory rate , medicine , panic , respiratory minute volume , cardiology , physiology , psychiatry , heart rate , anxiety , blood pressure , anatomy
Objective: To provide a systematic review of studies investigating respiration in PD and comments on relative inconsistencies. Method: A Medline search of controlled studies focusing on pCO 2 , respiratory rate, tidal volume, and minute volume in PD patients was conducted for baseline/resting condition, challenge, and recovery phase. Respiratory variability and comparisons between panickers and non‐panickers were also examined. Results: Lower pCO 2 levels in PD subjects are a consistent finding during the baseline/resting condition, the challenge, and recovery phases. Tidal volume and minute volume are increased in PD subjects relative to controls during the baseline/resting condition. However, the most robust finding is a higher than normal respiratory variability, which appears to be a promising factor for the identification of respiratory etiopathological pathways in PD. Conclusion: Respiratory variability might be a candidate for a biological marker of PD: an abnormal breathing pattern as found in panic disorder (PD) patients compared with controls might indicate instability of the respiratory homeostasis.