PSYCHIATRIC FAMILY HISTORY IN ADOLESCENTS WITH SEVERE ASTHMA

To examine the hypothesis that an association exists between severe as thma and familial affective and anxiety disorders. Method: A parent, u sually the mother, of 62 adolescents admitted to a tertiary care asthm a center was administered the Family History-Research Diagnostic Crite ria Interview. Lifetime prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders in f irst-degree relatives were compared with previously reported rates. Re sults: In relatives of asthmatic adolescents, rates for depression, ma nia (females only), substance abuse (males only), and antisocial perso nality disorder were significantly higher than the rates in the non-il l comparison sample. Rates for substance abuse (males only) and antiso cial personality disorder were higher than the rates for relatives of the depressed comparison sample. Rates for anxiety disorders were not higher than rates in epidemiological samples. Rates of attention-defic it hyperactivity disorder (females only) and posttraumatic stress diso rder in relatives were higher than in community samples. Conclusions: These results support the presence of a link between severe asthma and familial affective disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder antisocia l personality disorder, and substance abuser Whether these disorders a re genetically associated with asthma or represent an association with severe asthma because of environmental effects on the growing child i s discussed.