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Sleep quality in patients with panic disorder: Relationship to nocturnal panic attacks

Schlafqualität bei PatientInnen mit Panikstörung: Zusammenhang mit nächtlichen panikattacken

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Summary

Question of the Study

Insomnia complaints are common in patients with panic disorder. Polysomnographic studies have confirmed patients' poorer sleep quality. The present study investigates subjective sleep quality and its relationship to nocturnal panic attacks.

Patients and Methods

Fifty-four outpatients with panic disorder were included. During the course of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, the patients completed several question-naires assessing sleep quality, nocturnal panic attacks and panic symptomatology.

Results

As expected, sleep quality was markedly reduced in the sample. In addition to insomnia complaints, restless legs symptoms and parasomnias were reported more often. Patients with nocturnal panic attacks reported lower sleep quality than the other patients, a finding that was not influenced by course or duration of the panic disorder.

Conclusions

We suggest that assessment and specialized treatment of comorbid sleep disorders is very helpful for this patient group, especially for patients who suffer from nocturnal panic attacks.

Zusammenfassung

Fragestellung

Insomnische Beschwerden werden von PatientInnen mit Panikstörungen häufig berichtet. Polysomnographische-Studien bestätigen die schlechte Schlafqualität der PatientInnen. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die subjektive Schlafqualität und ihre Beziehung zu dem Auftreten nächtlicher Panikattacken.

Patienten und Methodik

54 ambulante PatientInnen mit Panikstörung wurden eingeschlossen. Während der diagnostischen Abklärung bzw. im Verlauf der Behandlung füllten die PatientInnen mehrere Fragebogen aus, die die Schlafqualität, das Auftreten nächtlicher Panikattacken und weitere Symptome der Panikstörung erfassten.

Ergebnisse

Wie erwartet war die Schlafqualität in der Patientengruppe deutlich reduziert. Neben den insomnischen Beschwerden wurden ebenfalls Restless-legs-Symptome und Parasomnien häufiger berichtet. PatientInnen mit nächtlichen Panikattacken wiesen eine schlechtere Schlafqualität als die anderen PatientInnen auf; ein Ergebnis, das nicht durch den Verlauf oder die Dauer der Panikstörung beeinflusst ist.

Schlussfolgerungen

Wir vermuten, dass eine Erfassung und spezielle Behandlung von komorbid auftretenden Schlafstörungen für diese Patientengruppe sehr hilfreich ist, vor allem für PatientInnen, die neben der Tagessymptomatik auch unter nächtlichen Panikattacken leiden.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sleep laboratory, Central Institute of Mental Health, PO Box 1221 20, D-68072, Mannheim, Germany

    Michael Schredl Ph.D., Golo Kronenberg, Patrick Nonell & Isabella Heuser

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  1. Michael Schredl Ph.D.
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  2. Golo Kronenberg
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  3. Patrick Nonell
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  4. Isabella Heuser
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Correspondence to Michael Schredl Ph.D..

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Schredl, M., Kronenberg, G., Nonell, P. et al. Sleep quality in patients with panic disorder: Relationship to nocturnal panic attacks. Somnologie 6, 149–153 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-054X.2002.02172.x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-054X.2002.02172.x

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