PREMENSTRUAL EXACERBATION OF SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN WITH PANIC DISORDER

Women with panic disorder commonly report a premenstrual worsening of panic symptoms, but to date this report has not been confirmed in pros pective trials. The present study investigated fluctuations in panic s ymptomatology across the menstrual cycle, with particular attention to the discrepancies between retrospective and prospective studies. Nine ty-four women with panic disorder reported their history of premenstru al symptoms of panic, and 24 of these patients completed prospective d iaries comprising two full menstrual cycles. Similar to previous studi es, 41% of the sample provided a retrospective report of premenstrual worsening of panic symptoms. Unlike previous investigations, a signifi cant increase in panic frequency during the premenstruum was found in our prospective study, with 50% of subjects reporting at least a 100% increase in panic frequency. Women who experienced negative mood preme nstrually were more likely to accurately report exacerbation of panic symptoms during the premenstruum.