Prevalence of respiratory disorders in first-degree relatives of panic disorder patients

Background: Panic Disorder (PD) patients often report a history of respiratory pathology, such as asthma. It is known that both PD and respiratory disorders, like asthma, run in families. A common diathesis for PD and some respiratory disorders may be present both in PD patients and their first-degree relatives. We examined whether the lifetime prevalence of respiratory disorders is higher in first-degree relatives of PD patients than in first-degree relatives of patients with other anxiety disorders. Methods: The lifetime history of respiratory pathology was assessed in 379 first-degree relatives of patients with an anxiety disorder by means of a questionnaire. Results: We found the first-degree relatives of PD patients to report more chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) in general (24.8%) and asthma (10.5%) in particular than the comparison group (13.2% and 3.3%, respectively). Limitations: Our data rely on retrospective self-reports. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with and extend previous studies suggesting a specific association between COPD, asthma in particular, and PD. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.