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    P01-294 - Depression and Agoraphobia in a Patient with Myasthenia Gravis
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    Abstract:
    Myasthenia gravis (MG), is a chronic, autoimmune disease involving neuromuscular junctions [1]. Psychopathological disturbances and misdiagnosed as a psychiatric disorder are frequently reported in patients with MG because of variable and fluctuating course of disease [2]. However, during the course of the disease, mainly depression and anxiety disorders can be added to the clinics [1]. Case The complaints such as weakness, difficulty swallowing and speaking that worsening at evening, may be easily supposed neurotic disorders, in a twenty-two year old male patient, has started about two months ago. In neurology clinic, in requested psychiatric consultation; there were complaints like inability to breathe, sweating, palpitations, reluctance, pessimism and unhappiness. The patient has diagnosed according to DSM IV-TR as “Agoraphobia without panic disorder” and “Major Depression, Single Episod”. Escitolopram titrated by 20 mg/day has started. Depressive and agoraphobic symptoms have disappeared at the end of four weeks (HAM-A-D:24;11-21;9). Discussion MG patients, especially during the beginning of disease symptoms in almost all patients with the appeal was referred to the psychiatric services and 1/3 of it has been reported as psychiatric mis-diagnosis [1,2]. Choice of psychotropic drugs is important that do not affect the respiratory center and neuromuscular transmission. Agents, used in the treatment of MG, can inflame psychopathology and can create resistance to psychotropic treatment. Therefore, cooperation of neurologist and psychiatrist is important.
    Keywords:
    Depression
    Agoraphobia
    Palpitations
    Objective: To evaluate outpatients from Toronto-area cardiology clinics for panic disorder (PD) and investigate differences between patients with and without PD. Method: Participants were diagnosed using both standard DSM-IV criteria and an altered formulation that identified a more fearful panic group. Results: There was a prevalence of panic disorder (12.5%) in cardiac outpatients in keeping with previous studies. Patients with PD did not differ significantly from other patients with regard to the presence of significant heart disease. The higher prevalence of palpitations found in patients who met criteria for PD compared with those who did not reflects previous findings. PD cases did not differ significantly in family history from respondents without the disorder, but the more fearful group did (P < 0.05). Conclusion: PD often presents with cardiac symptoms, especially palpitations, and is often comorbid with heart disease.
    Palpitations
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    The prevalence of panic disorder in patients who present with chest pain or palpitations to a First Heart Aid setting varies in the literature between 0%-59%. In a high percentage of cases, panic disorder is not recognized by the cardiologist in patients who present initially with chest pain or palpitations. Patients with panic disorder have a large and ongoing medical consumption. A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and/or cognitive therapy appear to be good treatment of panic disorder in patients who present initially with chest pain or palpitations. A CO2 challenge test elicits the symptoms in patients with panic disorder with high sensitivity and specificity but this test has not been validated in patients who present initially with chest pain or palpitations and in whom the diagnosis 'panic disorder' is not yet established.
    Palpitations
    Citations (16)
    Patients with panic disorder and/or agoraphobia appearing in psychiatric settings report rates for lifetime major depression between 24% and 91 %. Between 40% and 90% of patients with panic disorder in psychiatric populations report concomitant agoraphobia. A recent study of panic disorder subjects appearing in an outpatient cardiology clinic confirmed the strong link between panic and depression but found only a weak association between panic disorder and agoraphobia. In order to test the reliability of these outpatient cardiology findings, the authors studied major depression and agoraphobia in patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries and panic disorder. Twelve of the 32 (37.5%) panic disorder subjects reported a lifetime history of major depression (nine current, three past only). Only two of the 32 (six percent) reported any phobic avoidance. This study confirms the previous findings which suggest that major depression is common in cardiology populations with panic disorder and that phobic avoidance is uncommon in this group.
    Agoraphobia
    Depression
    Citations (11)