Aerobic exercise reduces anxiety symptoms and improves fitness in patients with panic disorder

• Main Authors: Murilo Khede Lamego, Eduardo Lattari, Alberto Souza de Sá Filho, Flávia Paes, Jarbas Mascarenhas Jr., Geraldo Maranhão Neto, Aldair José de Oliveira, Carlos Campos, Nuno Barbosa F. Rocha, Antonio E. Nardi, Sergio Machado
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mavera, Edições Científicas e Técnicas Ltda
• Series: Medical Express
• Subjects: transtorno de pânico; exercício aeróbico; vo2max
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2358-04292016000300006&lng=en&tlng=en

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a regularly repeated aerobic exercise series on anxiety and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) in Panic Disorder patients. METHODS: Ten previously sedentary female subjects diagnosed with Panic Disorder performed 36 sessions of aerobic exercise (at 70 to 75% of VO2max), 3 times per week during 12 weeks. A cardiopulmonary evaluation (ergospirometry test) was used to set the intensity of training as well as to establish baseline and post-training VO2max parameters. The assessment of anxiety symptoms was performed at baseline, at the end of the 6th and 12th weeks, using the Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T) and State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), and the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) questionnaires. One-way ANOVA for repeated measurements (at 3 moments: Baseline, 6th week (mid-training) and 12th week (post-training) was used to compare the evolution of the questionnaires; the Bonferroni post hoc test was applied to identify differences between moments. A dependent t-test was performed for measures of VO2max. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, (a) STAI-T showed significant anxiety reductions at mid- and post-training moments; (b) STAI-S and SUDS recorded anxiety reductions only at Post-training; (c) VO2max showed a significant improvement at Post-training. CONCLUSION: This protocol promoted beneficial effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and anxiety levels of Panic Disorder patients.