Panic Disorder in a Spanish Sample of 89 Patients With Pure Alcohol Dependence

89 patients with pure alcohol dependence were examined & compared for the presence of panic disorder. Several clinical scales were administered to assess symptomatology & severity. 23 patients met the criteria for panic disorder. The mean age at onset for alcohol use was 18.7 versus 28.5 years for panic disorder onset. The finding of an earlier onset for alcoholism illustrates the potential importance of transcultural factors. Overall, alcoholic patients with comorbid panic disorder showed greater clinical severity. They were found to have more comorbidity with Axis 1 disorders, greater clinical severity, & a history of more suicide attempts. (26 refs.)