BACKGROUND: Increased anxiety and panic to inhalation of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) has been described in patients with anxiety disorders, especially panic disorder, compared to healthy subjects. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been hypothesised to resemble panic disorder and is currently classified as an anxiety disorder in DSM-IV. However, there are only very few data available about the sensitivity of patients with PTSD to CO(2). METHODS: In 10 patients with PTSD, 10 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects and 8 patients with panic disorder we assessed anxiety, panic, dissociative and PTSD symptoms before and after a single vital capacity inhalation of 35% CO(2). RESULTS: Patients with PTSD showed an increased anxiety, panic and dissociative reaction to the inhalation of 35% CO(2) compared to healthy participants. PTSD subjects' responses were indistinguishable from those of panic patients. Additionally, PTSD-typical symptoms like post-traumatic flashbacks were provoked in patients with PTSD after the inhalation of CO(2). CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, PTSD was associated with an increased CO(2) reactivity, pointing to an increased susceptibility of PTSD patients to CO(2) challenge.
BACKGROUND: Increased anxiety and panic to inhalation of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) has been described in patients with anxiety disorders, especially panic disorder, compared to healthy subjects. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been hypothesised to resemble panic disorder and is currently classified as an anxiety disorder in DSM-IV. However, there are only very few data available about the sensitivity of patients with PTSD to CO(2). METHODS: In 10 patients with PTSD, 10 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects and 8 patients with panic disorder we assessed anxiety, panic, dissociative and PTSD symptoms before and after a single vital capacity inhalation of 35% CO(2). RESULTS:Patients with PTSD showed an increased anxiety, panic and dissociative reaction to the inhalation of 35% CO(2) compared to healthy participants. PTSD subjects' responses were indistinguishable from those of panicpatients. Additionally, PTSD-typical symptoms like post-traumatic flashbacks were provoked in patients with PTSD after the inhalation of CO(2). CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, PTSD was associated with an increased CO(2) reactivity, pointing to an increased susceptibility of PTSDpatients to CO(2) challenge.
Authors: Lance M Rappaport; Christina Sheerin; Dever M Carney; Kenneth E Towbin; Ellen Leibenluft; Daniel S Pine; Melissa A Brotman; Roxann Roberson-Nay; John M Hettema Journal: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2017-09-27 Impact factor: 8.829