Panic disorder and gastrointestinal symptoms: findings from the NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area project
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Clinical experience and recent reports suggest that there is a high prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with panic disorder and that there is a high prevalence of panic disorder in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, a functional gastrointestinal disorder. To assess gastrointestinal symptoms in a nonpatient, community-based sample, the authors surveyed the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with panic disorder and other or no psychiatric disorders obtained in a national community survey. METHOD: Subjects were 13,537 respondents at four sites of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Epidemiological Catchment Area project. DSM-III diagnoses were determined by using the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS). Gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed from the somatization disorder section of the DIS. RESULTS: Individuals with panic disorder had a significantly higher rate of endorsing gastrointestinal symptoms, including those typically associated with irritable bowel syndrome, than those with other or no psychiatric diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest a diagnostic overlap between panic disorder and irritable bowel syndrome, with similar demographic and clinical characteristics of patients. Limitations of the study are discussed in terms of medical assessment and self-report inventories. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).