Prevalence of headache syndromes in panic disorder

We investigated the prevalence of headache in a group of patients attending a psychiatric clinic because suffering from panic disorder, according to D SM-IV criteria. The psychopathological assessment was performed with the 'P anic Disorder/Agoraphobia Questionnaire' and the presence of headache was e valuated according to the criteria of the International Headache Society. T he results showed that two-thirds of patients met the criteria for a diagno sis of headache, with migraine without aura being the most frequent form, f ollowed by tension headache, while two patients only were affected by migra ine with aura. When we compared panic patients with and without headache, t hose with headache had a longer duration of panic disorder, a higher number of attacks and a heavier family loading for panic disorder and headache. T his suggests that the comorbidity of headache with panic disorder renders t his condition more severe and possibly responsive to different treatments c ompared to panic disorder alone. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 14:247-251 (C) 19 99 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.