SLEEP PANIC ATTACKS - AN ASSOCIATION WITH CHILDHOOD ANXIETY AND ADULTPSYCHOPATHOLOGY

The authors examine whether the presence of sleep panic attacks identi fies a subgroup of panic disorder patients. Subjects (n = 95) were con secutive patients with panic disorder participating in the MGH longitu dinal study of panic disorder. Patients were evaluated with structured interviews to establish adult anxiety and affective disorders, and th e presence of childhood anxiety disorders. Patients were queried wheth er they had ever experienced at least one panic attack during sleep. P atients with a history of sleep panic had significantly higher rates o f comorbid generalized anxiety disorder (p < 0.01), social phobia (p < 0.03), and major depression (p < 0.005). The trend was toward longer length of illness (p = 0.09) and were more likely to have a history of an anxiety disorder during childhood (p < 0.005). The presence of sle ep panic attacks may delineate a subgroup of panic disorder patients w ith early difficulties with anxiety, and comorbid mood and anxiety dis orders as adults.