OBJECTIVE: The authors investigated the relationships between
hypersensitivity to CO2 and familial-genetic risk for panic disorder in
patients with panic disorder. METHOD: Morbidity risks for panic disorder
were calculated for families of 203 patients with panic disorder, each of
whom was challenged with 35% CO2. RESULTS: Patients who reacted with a
positive response to the 35% CO2 challenge showed a genetic risk for panic
disorder (morbidity risk = 14.4%) that was significantly higher than that
for patients who did not react (morbidity risk = 3.9%). CONCLUSIONS: These
findings support the idea that hypersensitivity to CO2 might be associated
with a subtype of panic disorder specifically related to a greater familial
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