Background: Panic disorder (PD) is highly prevalent in patients with non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP). This study aims to explore the role of psychological factors (PD intensity, anxiety sensitivity, heart-related fear, attention and avoidance) common to NCCP and PD in predicting chest pain levels in patients with both conditions.
Methods: This association was investigated in emergency department patients with NCCP and PD receiving either evidence-based treatment of PD or treatment as usual. Patients were assessed at baseline and 14 weeks later for post-treatment.
Results: Only heart-focused fear and attention for cardiac sensations independently explained a significant portion of the variance in baseline pain ( = 66). At 3 months follow-up ( = 53), changes in heart-related fear was the only factor independently associated with changes in chest pain intensity. Even in patients with PD, fear specific to cardiac sensations seems to play a central role in determining NCCP intensity.
Conclusion: These results suggest that the efficacy of intervention for patients with PD and comorbid NCCP could be improved by targeting heart-related fear and attention.
Trial Registration: NCT00736346.
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|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5070074 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13030-016-0081-5 | DOI Listing |
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