Symptom clusters in panic disorder

This study provided an empirical investigation into whether panic symptoms group together meaningfully and whether subgroups of people with panic disorder can be distinguished on the basis of their symptomatology. Clinicians' severity ratings from a structured clinical interview for each of the 11 physiological symptoms of panic, as delineated in DSM-IV, were analysed for 153 people with a diagnosis of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. Principal component analysis produced a five-component solution which was supported by a cluster analysis where subjects fell into five groups based on these components. Taken together, these results suggested that there are subgroups of people with panic disorder which can be identified by activation of specific physiological systems. These results have implications for the early detection of panic disorder by medical practitioners, and consequent early referrals for treatment with a subsequent reduction in healthcare costs.