Biomedical subjects

Bum-Hee Yu

Publications and source records attributed to Bum-Hee Yu.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Korean panic disorder severity scale: construct validity by confirmatory factor analysis.

The Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) is a seven-item instrument used to rate the overall severity of panic disorder. This scale has previously evidenced excellent psychometric properties in a sample of patients with panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia. However, despite several factor-analytic PDSS studies, the number of factors has not been entirely consistent. Our objective in this study, then, was to evaluate the fit of two competing models to data collected with a sample of 176 patients with panic disorder. Patients (N = 176) who fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, underwent structured diagnostic assessments and PDSS interviews. Of the subjects, 102 were men and 74 were women. The mean age of the men was 41.2 (SD = 10.10) and of women, 41.0 (SD = 10.54). A model with two correlated factors was considered to be more appropriate in the description of the data with the following indices: Tucker-Lewis index = 0.94, comparative fit index = 0.96, root-mean-square error of approximation=0.08, and standardized root-mean-square residual = 0.04. These results were then cross-validated with subgroups of patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia (n = 128), without agoraphobia (n = 48), and with panic disorder after phamacotherapy (n = 62). Our results indicated that the correlated two-factor model developed and validated using Western samples could be appropriately generalized to Korean clinical samples. Furthermore, our results support the construct validity of the Korean version of the PDSS.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2007

Korean Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised: its factor structure, reliability, and validity in clinical and nonclinical samples.

The factor structure and convergent and discriminant validity of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised (ASI-R) were examined in a community sample, a student sample, and patients with panic disorder in Korea. Results from a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) comparing our data to factor solutions commonly reported as representative of European American populations indicated a poor fit. A subsequent exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated that a four-factor solution provided the best fit. Correlations between the ASI-R and anxiety measures were moderately high, providing evidence of convergent validity. Implications for assessment with Koreans are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Increased beta-adrenergic sensitivity correlates with visceral hypersensitivity in patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Autonomic imbalance has been proposed to be a pathophysiological factor for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The aim of this study was to assess beta-adrenergic abnormalities in IBS and to evaluate their relationship to visceral hypersensitivity and other symptoms of IBS patients. Sixteen IBS patients and 16 control subjects were recruited into this study. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding bowel symptoms, and in order to study beta-adrenergic sensitivity, isoproterenol stimulation tests were performed and visceral hypersensitivity was evaluated by barostat test. Results showed that beta-adrenergic activity and rectal sensitivity were more pronounced in IBS patients than in normal control patients (P < 0.01). Although both IBS subgroups also exhibited more pronounced beta-adrenergic sensitivity than did the controls (P < 0.05), a significant correlation between beta-adrenergic activity and maximally tolerable pressures on the barostat test was found only in IBS-C patients (P = 0.03, R = 0.855). In addition, patients with "hard or lumpy" stools exhibited a higher degree of beta-adrenergic activity (P = 0.00). We conclude that increased beta-adrenergic activity significantly correlated with visceral hypersensitivity in constipation-predominant IBS and symptoms of hard or lumpy stools in IBS patients.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

PubMed2005

Anxiety and beta-adrenergic receptor function in a normal population.

Many studies have shown a close relationship between anxiety and beta-adrenergic receptor function in patients with anxiety disorders. This study examined the relationship between beta-adrenergic receptor function and anxiety levels in a normal population. Subjects for this study included 36 men and 44 women between the ages of 20 and 40 years whose Body Mass Index (BMI) was between 18 and 26. All of them were healthy subjects who had no previous history of medical or psychiatric illnesses. The authors measured the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Chronotropic 25 Dose (CD25) of isoproterenol, previously developed to assess in vivo beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity. We also examined correlations between log normalized CD25 and mood states. The mean of CD25 was 2.64+/-1.37 mug and the mean of CD25 in men was significantly higher (i.e., lower beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity) than that of women (3.26+/-1.35 vs. 2.14+/-1.17 microg; t = 3.99, p < 0.001). CD25 showed negative correlations with STAI state anxiety (r = -0.344, p = 0.002), trait anxiety (r = -0.331, p = 0.003), and BDI (r = -0.283, p = 0.011). CD25 was positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.423, p < 0.001) and age (r = 0.271, p = 0.015). In stepwise multiple regression analyses, 34% of the variance in CD25 was accounted for by sex, state anxiety, and BMI. The sensitivity of beta-adrenergic receptors increased as anxiety levels became higher in a normal population. Thus, the relationship between anxiety and beta-adrenergic receptor function in healthy subjects may be different from that of patients with anxiety disorders.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

PubMed2005

Increased cholesterol levels after paroxetine treatment in patients with panic disorder.

Panic disorder (PD) is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. We examined serum cholesterol and plasma catecholamine levels in PD before and after paroxetine treatment. The serum cholesterol and plasma catecholamine levels were not different between the PD patients and control subjects before the treatment. However, the levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly increased in the 28 PD patients after 3 months of paroxetine treatment, whereas the body mass index and plasma catecholamine levels were unchanged. Paroxetine should be used cautiously for PD patients who have overt or covert cardiovascular disorders.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Lymphocyte subsets and mood states in panic disorder patients.

This study was conducted to examine lymphocyte subset counts and mood states in panic disorder patients. Twenty patients with panic disorder and 20 age- and gender-matched normal healthy subjects were recruited for the study. We used the Spielberger State (STAIS) & Trait (STAIT) Anxiety Inventory, Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale (HAMA) to measure mood states in all subjects. Lymphocyte subsets counts were made by flow cytometry. Panic patients showed significantly higher scores for anxiety and depression than normal subjects. Panic patients showed no differences in terms of the numbers of immune cells, as compared with normal healthy subjects, other than a lower proportion of T suppressor cells and a higher T helper cell/T suppressor cell ratio. HAMA and STAIS scores were common factors that could predict T cell numbers and proportions, T helper cell numbers, and natural killer cell proportions in panic disorder patients. We suggest that anxiety levels are related to the T-cell population in panic disorder patients and that quantitative immune differences may reflect altered immunity in this disorder.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Changes in lymphocyte subsets after short-term pharmacotherapy in patients with panic disorder.

Panic disorder is associated with a high frequency of comorbid immunological diseases, such as allergies and asthma, although the psychoneuroimmunology of panic disorder is relatively unexplored. The objective of this study was to determine whether panic patients have different immunological findings compared with normal healthy subjects and whether changes in immune function are associated with short-term pharmacotherapy. We also examined whether immunological variables were associated with clinical severity and serum catecholamine levels. Patients with panic disorder (n=26) and healthy control subjects (n=26) were recruited for this study. All patients were treated with paroxetine for 3 months. We measured the lymphocyte subsets, psychopathological characteristics and serum catecholamine (norepinephrine and epinephrine) levels. Panic patients did not differ initially from control subjects in peripheral lymphocyte phenotypic markers. After drug therapy, however, percentages of circulating CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were significantly increased, while the percentage of CD19+ B lymphocytes was significantly decreased in the patients. The difference in the percentage of CD8+ T lymphocytes before and after treatment was negatively correlated with pretreatment Global Clinical Impression scores. The lymphocyte subsets were not significantly associated with serum catecholamine levels in panic patients. In conclusion, panic patients showed increased CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte proportions and a decreased B lymphocyte proportion after 3 months of drug therapy. This finding suggests that pharmacological treatment may affect immune function in panic patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Differences in beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity between women and men with panic disorder.

This study was conducted on patients with panic disorder (PD) to examine the gender differences in the pathophysiology of PD by evaluating and comparing the value of CD(25)/wt, the chronotropic 25 dose of isoproterenol (CD(25)) divided by the body weight, which reflects the in vivo index of beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity. This study included a total of 70 subjects, including 35 patients with PD (female: 13, male: 22) along with 35 healthy control subjects (female: 13, male: 22). There were significant differences in the mean value of CD(25)/wt (0.073+/-0.045 microg/kg vs. 0.032+/-0.019 microg/kg; p=0.006) and the serum epinephrine (EPI) level (77.3+/-64.1 pg/ml vs. 31.6+/-10.3 pg/ml; p=0.001) between the female panic patients and the female control subjects. However, there were no differences in either the CD(25)/wt value or the EPI level between the male panic patients and the male control subjects. These results suggest that the beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity decreased in the female patients, but not in the male patients, which provides evidence for the possible existence of a gender difference in the pathophysiology of PD.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

PubMed2002

Catechol O-methyltransferase genetic polymorphism in panic disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined the distribution of catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotypes in patients with panic disorder as well as the relationship between a COMT polymorphism and the clinical characteristics of these patients. METHOD: Fifty-one patients with panic disorder and 45 healthy comparison subjects were tested for a genetic polymorphism of COMT. Clinical variables were assessed for the patients with panic disorder. RESULTS: The frequency of the L/L genotype was significantly higher in the patients with panic disorder than in the healthy subjects (19.6% versus 2.2%). Panic disorder was significantly associated with the L allele and L/L genotype. Patients with panic disorder who had the L/L genotype showed poorer treatment response than those with other genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the L/L genotype of the COMT gene may be related to the development and treatment outcome of panic disorder in some patients.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The association between panic disorder and the L/L genotype of catechol-O-methyltransferase.

To clarify the role of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphism in panic disorder (PD), we investigated a large group of Korean PD patients (N = 178) and controls (N = 182) using a case-control study. We also assessed the response to paroxetine treatment and other clinical variables in the PD patients. The increase in the COMT(L) allele was not statistically significant in PD (p = 0.104). However, compared with the sum of the other genotypes, the frequency of the L/L genotype was significantly higher in PD (p = 0.042). The odd ratios (ORs) also indicated a significant effect of the homozygosity for the COMT(L) allele on an increased risk for PD (OR=2.38; 95% CI 1.03-5.51). In addition, patients with L/L genotype had higher trait-anxiety levels (p = 0.030) and poorer treatment response to paroxetine than those with other genotypes (p = 0.002). Our results suggest that the COMT L/L genotype is associated with PD and the genetic variant of the COMT enzyme may be related to the clinical severity and treatment response to paroxetine in PD.

Adult↗