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Pharmacopsychiatry 2000; 33(5): 174-181
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-12982
Original Paper

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

The Use of the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (P & A) in a controlled clinical trial[1]

B. Bandelow1 , A. Broocks1 , G. Pekrun1 , A. George1 , T. Meyer2 , L. Pralle3 , U. Bartmann4 , U. Hillmer-Vogel5 , E. Rüther1
  • 1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Göttingen, Germany
  • 2 Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, University of Saarbrücken, Germany
  • 3 Dept. of Statistics, Penn State University, U.S.A.
  • 4 Dept. of Medical Statistics, University of Göttingen, Germany
  • 5 Dept. of Sports Medicine, University of Göttingen, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

26.04.1999

03.03.2000

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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Background: A new 13-item scale has been developed for measuring severity of illness in patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia, the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (P & A). The scale has five subscales covering the main factors that reduce quality of life in panic disorder patients (panic attacks, avoidance, anticipatory anxiety, disability and worries about health). The application of this scale in a double-blind placebo-controlled panic disorder trial is described. At the same time, the aim of the study was to compare the therapeutic effects of aerobic exercise with a treatment of well-documented efficacy. Methods: Patients with Panic disorder (DSM-IV) were randomly assigned to three treatment modalities: running (n = 45), clomipramine (n = 15) or placebo (n = 15). Treatment efficacy was measured with the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (P & A) and other rating scales. Results: According to the P & A and other scales, both exercise and clomipramine led to a significant decrease of symptoms in comparison to placebo treatment. Clomipramine was significantly more effective and improved anxiety symptoms significantly earlier than exercise. The evaluation of the P & A subscales revealed that exercise exerted its effect mainly reducing anticipatory anxiew and panic-related disability. Conclusions: The new Panic and Agoraphobia Scale was shown to be sensitive to differences between different panic treatments. Analysis of the scales five subscores may help to understand mechanisms of action of panic disorder treatments.

1 This study was supported by a public grant from the Volkswagen Foundation, Hannover, Germany

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1 This study was supported by a public grant from the Volkswagen Foundation, Hannover, Germany

Priv. Doz. Dr. Borwin Bandelow

Department of Psychiatry
University of Göttingen

von-Siebold-Straße 5

37075 Göttingen

Germany

Phone: + 49-551-396607

Fax: + 49-551-392004

Email: bbandel@gwdg.de