Article Figures & Data
Figures
Tables
Supplemental Appendix
Supplemental Figure 3. HRs of sleep apnea for risk of incident panic disorder in subgroup analysis. Supplemental Figure 4. HRs of sleep apnea for risk of incident panic disorder in subgroup analysis.
Files in this Data Supplement:
- Supplemental data: Appendix - PDF file
The Article in Brief
Sleep Apnea and Risk of Panic Disorder
Kun-Ta Chou , and colleagues
Background Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles relax and block the airway during sleep. It has been linked to depression and other mental health issues. This study examines the relationship between sleep apnea and panic disorder.
What This Study Found Sleep apnea more than doubles the risk of developing panic disorder. Analysis of data from 8,704 sleep apnea patients and 34,792 control patients from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database revealed that of the 43,496 patients, 263 (0.60 percent) suffered from panic disorder during a nearly 4-year follow-up period, including 117 (1.34 percent) from the sleep apnea cohort and 146 (0.42 percent) from the control group. There may be several explanations for the link between sleep apnea and panic disorder.
Implications
- The authors advise clinicians to be aware of possible panic disorder in sleep apnea patients.