Thyroid disorders in female psychiatric patients with panic disorder or agoraphobia.

The authors interviewed 144 consecutive female psychiatric patients and found that those with a lifetime history of either panic disorder or agoraphobia with panic attacks (panic/agoraphobia) were more likely than other patients to report a history of hyperthyroidism or goiter in themselves and in their first-degree relatives. A personal history of hyperthyroidism or goiter was found almost exclusively in the subgroup of patients with panic/agoraphobia who also had a lifetime history of major depression.