Comorbid panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder in patients with noncardiac chest pain was prospectively associated with increased chest pain severity (p < 0.001) and lowered health-related quality of life.
Cohort (n=915)
Yes
Does the presence of comorbid panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder worsen chest pain severity and health-related quality of life in patients with noncardiac chest pain?
In patients with noncardiac chest pain, comorbid panic disorder is primarily associated with reduced physical quality of life, while generalized anxiety disorder is associated with reduced mental quality of life, and both are linked to increased chest pain severity.
p-value: p=<0.001
BACKGROUND: Patients with noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) report more severe symptoms and lowered health-related quality of life when they present with comorbid panic disorder (PD). Although generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the second most common psychiatric disorder in these patients, its impact on NCCP and health-related quality of life remains understudied. This study describes and prospectively compares patients with NCCP with or without PD or GAD in terms of (1) NCCP severity; and (2) the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life. METHODS: A total of 915 patients with NCCP were consecutively recruited in two emergency departments. The presence of comorbid PD or GAD was assessed at baseline with the Anxiety Disorder Schedule for DSM-IV. NCCP severity at baseline and at the six-month follow-up was assessed with a structured telephone interview, and the patients completed the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2) to assess health-related quality of life at both time points. RESULTS: Average NCCP severity decreased between baseline and the six-month follow-up (p < .001) and was higher in the patients with comorbid PD or GAD (p < .001) at both time points compared to those with NCCP only. However, average NCCP severity did not differ between patients with PD and those with GAD (p = 0.901). The physical component of quality of life improved over time (p = 0.016) and was significantly lower in the subset of patients with PD with or without comorbid GAD compared to the other groups (p < .001). A significant time x group interaction was found for the mental component of quality of life (p = 0.0499). GAD with or without comorbid PD was associated with a lower mental quality of life, and this effect increased at the six-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbid PD or GAD are prospectively associated with increased chest pain severity and lowered health-related quality of life in patients with NCCP. PD appears to be mainly associated with the physical component of quality of life, while GAD has a greater association with the mental component. Knowledge of these differences could help in the management of patients with NCCP and these comorbidities.
Hamel et al. (Mon,) conducted a cohort in Noncardiac chest pain (n=915). Comorbid panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder vs. Noncardiac chest pain without panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder was evaluated on Average noncardiac chest pain severity (p=<0.001). Comorbid panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder in patients with noncardiac chest pain was prospectively associated with increased chest pain severity (p < 0.001) and lowered health-related quality of life.