OBJECTIVE: The authors used the family study method to test the
hypothesis that sodium lactate response defines two subtypes of panic
disorder. METHOD: Rates of panic disorder in 142 first-degree relatives of
patients who responded to sodium lactate, 88 first-degree relatives of
patients who did not respond to sodium lactate, and 231 first-degree
relatives of never mentally ill subjects were compared. RESULTS: No
difference in familial transmission of panic disorder was found between the
two patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings do not support the notion
that panic disorder subtypes are associated with lactate sensitivity.
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