Differences in latency to first pharmacological treatment (duration of untreated illness) in anxiety disorders: A study on patients with panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder

Aim: The latency to first pharmacological treatment (duration of untreated illness or 'DUI') is supposed to play a major role in terms of outcome in psychotic conditions. Interest in the field of affective disorders and, in particular, of duration of untreated anxiety, has been recently registered as well. However, a preliminary epidemiologic investigation of the phenomenon is necessary. The present study was aimed to investigate and compare age at onset, age at first pharmacological treatment and DUI in a sample of patients affected by different anxiety disorders. DUI was defined as the interval between the onset of the specific anxiety disorder and the administration of the first adequate pharmacological treatment in compliant subjects. Methods: Study sample included 350 patients, of both sexes, with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of panic disorder (n=138), generalized anxiety disorder (n=127) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (n=85). Results: Panic disorder was associated with the shortest DUI (39.5 months), whereas obsessive-compulsive disorder was associated with the longest latency to treatment (94.5 months) (F=13.333; P