Korean J Psychosom Med.  2023 Jun;31(1):19-24. 10.22722/KJPM.2023.31.1.19.

Physiological Predictors of Treatment Response to Biofeedback in Patients With Panic Disorder

• Cho S
• Yoon IY
• Kim JS
• Lee M
• Park HY

• KMID: 2550641
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22722/KJPM.2023.31.1.19

Abstract

Objectives
：Biofeedback is a useful non-pharmacological treatment for panic disorder (PD), but no studies have identified physiological markers related to the treatment response. This study investigated predictors of the treatment response for biofeedback in patients with PD.
Methods
：A retrospective study based on the electronic medical records of 372 adult patients with PD was performed. Patients received biofeedback treatment at least once, and physiological markers including heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin conductance, skin temperature, and electromyography were collected before the treatment began. The patients were classified as responders or non-responders based on the change in Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) score.
Results
：The response rate to biofeedback treatment was 30.4%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that a higher CGI-S score at baseline and fewer benzodiazepine prescriptions were associated with a better response to biofeedback treatment. According to subgroup analyses, the baseline CGI-S score, dose of benzodiazepines, and skin conductance are candidate predictors of the response to biofeedback treatment in men, while only baseline disease severity was associated with the treatment response in women.
Conclusions
：The present results suggest that skin conductance may be target marker and predictor for biofeedback in male patients with PD.

Keyword

Panic disorder; Biofeedback; Treatment response; Predictor; Physiological marker