Panic disorder symptoms decreased during guideline-based pharmacotherapy in small observational cohort

In a retrospective observational cohort study, 41 adults with DSM-5-diagnosed panic disorder receiving guideline-based pharmacotherapy were followed for six months. The study examined changes in symptom severity and the association with autistic traits, which were measured only at the six-month follow-up. No comparator group was specified, and the specific pharmacotherapy regimen was not detailed.

The primary finding was a significant decrease in both Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) total scores and PDSS agoraphobia scores over the six-month treatment period (p < 0.001 for both). The study did not report absolute score changes, effect sizes, or the proportion of patients achieving specific response criteria. Safety and tolerability data, including adverse events and discontinuation rates, were not reported.

Key limitations include the retrospective design, which precludes establishing causation, and the measurement of autistic traits only after the treatment period, making it difficult to assess their baseline influence on treatment response. The small sample size of 41 patients and lack of a control group further limit generalizability. For clinicians, this study provides preliminary observational evidence that panic and agoraphobia symptoms may decrease over time with guideline-based pharmacotherapy, but the evidence strength is low due to the study design.