[Differentiated types of chronic agoraphobia]

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2000;100(2):11-8.
[Article in Russian]

Abstract

The study included 60 patients aged 18-65 years with anxious-phobic disorder (APD)--agoraphobia with and without panic disorders. Diagnosis of the disease was performed according to ICD-10. It was established that dynamics and outcome of APD with stable agoraphobia depend on some comorbid psychic disorders (neurotic, nonpsychotic affective, personality disorders, slow-progredient schizophrenia). Influence of such disorders on APD depends on level of realization of the comorbid correlations: symptomatic (nondelirious hypochondria) and intersyndromal ones (affective and personal disorders as well as slow-progredient schizophrenia). Typology of APD with stable agoraphobia is proposed, that is determined by comorbid correlations with the phenomena of nondelirious (overvaluable or neurotic) hypochondria. Agoraphobia, comorbid with the phenomena of overvaluable hypochondria, is characterized by isolated phobic avoidance (1-2 situations), lack of the signs of progredience of psychopathologic disorders and relatively favourable outcome (lack of the cases of invalidism, decrease of a professional status in 8% of the patients). Agoraphobia, comorbid with the phenomena of neurotic hypochondria, is characterized by total phobic avoidance, syndromal comorbidity with polymorphic and generalized somatophormic disorders, depressive disorders syndromally completed, slow-progredient schizophrenia and less favourable outcome (avoidance behaviour of severe degrees was found in 57% of the patients, including 18% of patients disabled due to mental disease).

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Agoraphobia / complications
  • Agoraphobia / diagnosis*
  • Agoraphobia / therapy
  • Chronic Disease
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / complications
  • Middle Aged
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Somatoform Disorders / complications