Vestibular Dysfunction In Adult Patients With Panic Disorder With or Without Agoraphobia

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine whether the prevalence of abnormalities on clinical vestibular (balance) tests is higher in panic disorder with agoraphobia than in uncomplicated panic disorder and nonpanic anxiety disorder.

II. Determine whether the prevalence of abnormalities on audiological tests of cochlear or brainstem function is elevated in panic disorder without agoraphobia or nonpanic anxiety disorder.

III. Determine whether symptom patterns can be identified that are indicative of vestibular abnormalities in panic disorder.

IV. Determine whether vestibular dysfunction can be induced by psychosomatic mechanisms.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Panic Disorder; Anxiety Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Clinical vestibular tests

Detailed Description

PROTOCOL OUTLINE: Patients are stratified by otoneurological function (panic disorder without agoraphobia, panic disorder with agoraphobia, anxiety disorder without panic or agoraphobia-like avoidance, and normal controls).

Patients undergo a psychiatric interview and a structured interview focused on anxiety disorders. Physical evaluation is completed.

A vestibular evaluation consisting of posturography, rotational testing, and ocular motor screening battery, and positional and caloric testing is completed on all patients. Patients then complete an audiological test battery consisting of basic audiological analysis, speech recognition scores, immittance testing, brainstem evoked response, and determination of binaural masking level differences.

Control patients also complete a hyperventilation-rotational test.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 165
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15260
      • University of Pittsburgh

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 55 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

PROTOCOL ENTRY CRITERIA:

--Disease Characteristics-- Diagnostically proven panic disorders with or without moderate or severe agoraphobia and anxiety disorders without panic or agoraphobia Panic disorder may be accompanied by a secondary Axis 1 diagnosis of another disorder, such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, or dependent, histrionic, or compulsive personality disorder --Prior/Concurrent Therapy-- Surgery: No prior ear surgery Other: No concurrent medication for medical or psychiatric conditions At least 2 weeks since prior medication No ototoxic drug intake --Patient Characteristics-- No medical disorders At least 2 weeks since prior upper respiratory tract infection and recovered No history of migraine No head trauma No scoliosis No alcoholism No drug abuse No family history of schizophrenia

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Diagnostic

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
• Collaborators: University of Pittsburgh
• Investigators: Study Chair: Rolf G. Jacob, University of Pittsburgh

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: May 1, 2000

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 18, 1999
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 18, 1999
• First Posted (Estimate): October 19, 1999

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): June 24, 2005
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 23, 2005
• Last Verified: December 1, 2003

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: anxiety disorder; neurologic and psychiatric disorders; rare disease; panic disorder; disease-related problem/condition
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Pathologic Processes; Disease; Anxiety Disorders; Panic Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: 199/11945; UPITTS-9504279605