@article{ref1,
title="Emergency department visits for panic attacks and ambient temperature: a time-stratified case-crossover analysis",
journal="Depression and anxiety",
year="2020",
author="Oh, Sehhyun and HaHa, Tae Hyon and Kim, Ho and Lee, Hyewon and Myung, Woojae",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Panic disorder is a common anxiety disorder affecting up to 5% of the population. Although its pathogenesis is unclear, evidence about its association with ambient temperature is limited. We aimed to investigate the association between short-term exposure to increased ambient temperature and exacerbation of panic attacks requiring emergency department visits. <br><br>METHODS: From the national emergency database of South Korea, we identified 1,926 patients who presented with panic attacks at the emergency department in Seoul from 2008 to 2014. Using a time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression analysis, we compared ambient temperature levels on emergency department visits and correspondingly matched-control days. <br><br>RESULTS: Increased ambient temperature levels were significantly associated with panic attacks. The risk of a panic attack increased by 2.2% (95% confidence interval, 0.7-3.8%) per every 1°C increase in temperature. This association was significant after adjusting for air pollutants. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide new evidence that short-term exposure to increased ambient temperature may increase the risk of exacerbation of panic attacks. These findings may provide a basis for further research to establish the association between panic attacks and ambient temperature, thus establishing preventive measures for panic attacks.<br><br>© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1091-4269",
doi="10.1002/da.23019",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/da.23019"
}