Am J Psychiatry 1988; 145:1149-1152
Copyright © 1988 by American Psychiatric Association
DSM-III personality disorders and the outcome of treated panic disorder
JH Reich
Massachusets Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Fifty-two patients with panic disorder who had been receiving active
benzodiazepine treatment for 8 weeks were assessed by using the outcome
measures of spontaneous and situational panic attacks, scores on the
Hamilton scales for anxiety and for depression, and scores on self- rated
disability scales. Although spontaneous panic attacks were not affected by
the presence of any personality disorder, the remaining outcome measures
showed a strong and negative association with DSM-III antisocial,
borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders. There was
also a mild negative association with avoidant personality disorder. A
subgroup of patients with both major depression and panic disorder appeared
more strongly affected.
