Baseline respiratory parameters in panic disorder: a meta-analysis.

Background: The presence of abnormalities in baseline respiratory function of subjects with panic disorder (PD) is expected according to PD respiratory theories. We aimed to meta-analyze results from studies comparing baseline respiratory and hematic parameters related to respiration between subjects with PD and controls.

Methods: A literature research in bibliographic databases was performed. Fixed-effects models were applied for all parameters while random-effects models only when suitable (at least 10 independent studies). Several moderator analyses and publication bias diagnostics were performed.

Results: We found significantly higher mean minute ventilation and lower et-pCO(2) in subjects with PD than controls. Moreover we also found evidences of reduced HCO(3)(-) and PO(4)(-) hematic concentrations, higher indexes of respiratory variability/irregularity and higher rate of sighs and apneas. Evidence of heterogeneity was partly explained by moderator analyses. No relevant publication bias was found.

Limitations: Several shortcomings affected the included studies, such as over-inclusive recruitment criteria, samples unbalanced for socio-demographic characteristics, lack of statistical details and small number of studies available for several parameters.

Discussion: Our results support the idea of abnormalities in respiratory function of subjects with PD. Compared to controls, they showed baseline hyperventilation; the results from hematic parameters suggest that hyperventilation may be chronic and not simply caused by their high anxiety levels during respiratory assessment. Evidences of higher variability and irregularity in respiratory patterns of subjects with PD were also found. It is unclear to what extent the higher rate of sighs and apneas may explain the other baseline respiratory abnormalities found in PD.