Lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders in people with bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Integrating questionnaire measures for transdiagnostic psychiatric phenotyping using word2vec

Background

Recent initiatives in psychiatry emphasize the utility of characterizing psychiatric symptoms in a multidimensional manner. However, strategies for applying standard self-report scales for multiaxial assessment have not been well-studied, particularly where the aim is to support both categorical and dimensional phenotypes.

Methods

We propose a method for applying natural language processing to derive dimensional measures of psychiatric symptoms from questionnaire data. We utilized nine self-report symptom measures drawn from a large cellular biobanking study that enrolled individuals with mood and psychotic disorders, as well as healthy controls. To summarize questionnaire results we used word embeddings, a technique to represent words as numeric vectors preserving semantic and syntactic meaning. A low-dimensional approximation to the embedding space was used to derive the proposed succinct summary of symptom profiles. To validate our embedding-based disease profiles, these were compared to presence or absence of axis I diagnoses derived from structured clinical interview, and to objective neurocognitive testing.

Results

Unsupervised and supervised classification to distinguish presence/absence of axis I disorders using survey-level embeddings remained discriminative, with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve up to 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.74,0.91) using Gaussian mixture modeling, and cross-validated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.91, 95% CI (0.88,0.94) using logistic regression. Derived symptom measures and estimated Research Domain Criteria scores also associated significantly with performance on neurocognitive tests.

Conclusions

Our results support the potential utility of deriving dimensional phenotypic measures in psychiatric illness through the use of word embeddings, while illustrating the challenges in identifying truly orthogonal dimensions.

Observed psychopathology in offspring of parents with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Children of parents with mood and psychotic disorders are at elevated risk for a range of behavioral and emotional problems. However, as the usual reporter of psychopathology in children is the parent, reports of early problems in children of parents with mood and psychotic disorders may be biased by the parents' own experience of mental illness and their mental state.

METHODS

Independent observers rated psychopathology using the Test Observation Form in 378 children and youth between the ages of 4 and 24 (mean = 11.01, s.d. = 4.40) who had a parent with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or no history of mood and psychotic disorders.

RESULTS

Observed attentional problems were elevated in offspring of parents with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia (effect sizes ranging between 0.31 and 0.56). Oppositional behavior and language/thought problems showed variable degrees of elevation (effect sizes 0.17 to 0.57) across the three high-risk groups, with the greatest difficulties observed in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. Observed anxiety was increased in offspring of parents with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder (effect sizes 0.19 and 0.25 respectively) but not in offspring of parents with schizophrenia.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that externalizing problems and cognitive and language difficulties may represent a general manifestation of familial risk for mood and psychotic disorders, while anxiety may be a specific marker of liability for mood disorders. Observer assessment may improve early identification of risk and selection of youth who may benefit from targeted prevention.

Comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder in bipolar spectrum disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis of its prevalence

BACKGROUND

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is often comorbid with Bipolar Disorder (BD), complicating its presentation and management. OCD prevalence rates in BD vary widely across studies and recent meta-analyses.

OBJECTIVE

We performed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting cross-sectional or lifetime OCD prevalence in BD, assessed by meta-regression various determinants of estimated prevalence and compared it with major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and general population subjects included in extracted studies.

METHODS

Relevant articles published up to January 2019 in PubMed/MEDLINE were retrieved. Prevalence rates underwent Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation before meta-analysis.

RESULTS

We included 29 studies reporting cross-sectional prevalence (N = 6109) and 39 studies reporting lifetime prevalence (N = 8205); eight studies reported both. The pooled lifetime and cross-sectional prevalence of comorbid OCD in BD was estimated at 10.9% (95% CI: 7.8-14.4%) and 11.2% (7.6-15.3%), respectively, in the random-effects model. Respective estimates in the general population were 2.5% and 1.6%. Study setting (epidemiological or clinical), diagnostic criteria and procedures, gender, BD subtype and remission status could not explain heterogeneity of prevalence estimates in meta-regressions. Age had a small yet significant negative correlation with lifetime prevalence. OCD prevalence in BD was not significantly different than in MDD.

LIMITATIONS

Search was limited to English-language literature.

CONCLUSIONS

Lifetime OCD prevalence in BD was 4.4 times higher than in the general population. Cross-sectional prevalence was as high as lifetime, suggesting that OCD in BD is more chronic/ persistent than in the general population, where cross-sectional stands at about two thirds the lifetime prevalence.

Dissociative symptoms as measured by the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale in patients with a bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

The Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS) characterizes the quality, frequency, and duration of dissociative symptoms. While the psychometric properties of the CDS have been evaluated in primary dissociative disorder, this has been insufficiently addressed among other psychiatric patient groups such as patients with a bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

Outpatients with variable mood (n = 73) responded to a survey that assessed dissociative symptoms and other characteristics. We used factor analysis and McDonald's omega to evaluate psychometric properties of the CDS, and correlations with other characteristics.

RESULTS

Previously suggested multifactorial models of the CDS were not supported, but the single-dimensional model fit both dichotomized (p = 0.31, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.02, ECV 70%) and trichotomized CDS responses (p = 0.06, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.04, ECV 47%). The CDS showed high internal consistency (ω = 0.96). CDS factor scores correlated with symptom severity on the Quick Inventory for Depressive Symptoms (QIDS-SR-16) (ρ = 0.59), the Social Phobia Inventory (ρ = 0.52), the American Association of Psychiatry Severity measure for Panic Disorders (ρ = 0.46), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (ρ = 0.44), and the Trauma Screening Questionnaire (ρ = 0.53). Two abbreviated versions of the CDS, retaining the best 14 or 7 items were proposed.

LIMITATIONS

The sample size remained moderate.

CONCLUSIONS

The CDS is a psychometrically sound, unidimensional measure with clinical impact to detect and characterize dissociative symptoms in BD patients. Establishing the reliability and validity of the abbreviated scales for screening necessitates further study.

Bipolar depression: a major unsolved challenge

Depression in bipolar disorder (BD) patients presents major clinical challenges. As the predominant psychopathology even in treated BD, depression is associated not only with excess morbidity, but also mortality from co-occurring general-medical disorders and high suicide risk. In BD, risks for medical disorders including diabetes or metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disorders, and associated mortality rates are several-times above those for the general population or with other psychiatric disorders. The SMR for suicide with BD reaches 20-times above general-population rates, and exceeds rates with other major psychiatric disorders. In BD, suicide is strongly associated with mixed (agitated-dysphoric) and depressive phases, time depressed, and hospitalization. Lithium may reduce suicide risk in BD; clozapine and ketamine require further testing. Treatment of bipolar depression is far less well investigated than unipolar depression, particularly for long-term prophylaxis. Short-term efficacy of antidepressants for bipolar depression remains controversial and they risk clinical worsening, especially in mixed states and with rapid-cycling. Evidence of efficacy of lithium and anticonvulsants for bipolar depression is very limited; lamotrigine has long-term benefit, but valproate and carbamazepine are inadequately tested and carry high teratogenic risks. Evidence is emerging of short-term efficacy of several modern antipsychotics (including cariprazine, lurasidone, olanzapine-fluoxetine, and quetiapine) for bipolar depression, including with mixed features, though they risk adverse metabolic and neurological effects.

Characteristics of help-seeking behavior among bipolar disorder patients: A study in Hunan, China

To analyze the factors that affecting the help-seeking behavior of bipolar disorder (BD) patients by conducting interviews BD individuals in Hunan province of China.In 2015, 72,999 people from 123 counties of Hunan province of China were interviewed through multistage stratified random sampling. Twelve items of general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) and abnormal behavioral clue questionnaire were used as screening tools. The Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) (SCID) was used as a diagnostic tool.Among the 75 BD patients, 36% (27/75) sought help. Compared with help-seekers, non-help-seekers were more likely to be older, divorced, or widowed, mostly illiterate or elementary education, family monthly income at least 3000 ¥, more physically consulted in the past year, able to effective work or study, at a stable illness status. 70.4% help-seekers firstly sought help from a medical institution. The main reasons that patients did not seek help were economic problem, did not know where to seek help, unsatisfied with medical services, afraid of mental health stigma, and other problems, such as traffic inconvenience.Non-help-seekers were faced with more difficulties in their social functions and social interactions.

The validity of daily patient-reported anxiety measured using smartphones and the association with stress, quality of life and functioning in patients with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

More than half of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) experience anxiety, which is associated with impaired functioning. In patients with BD, the present study aimed (1) to validate daily patient-reported symptoms of anxiety measured using smartphones against clinically rated symptoms of anxiety, (2) to estimate the prevalence of anxiety symptoms, and (3) to investigate the associations between patient-reported anxiety symptoms and stress, quality of life and functioning.

METHODS

A total of 84 patients with BD evaluated their anxiety symptoms daily for nine months using a smartphone-based system. Data on clinically evaluated symptoms of anxiety and functioning and patient-reported stress and quality of life were collected from each patient at five fixed time points during follow-up.

RESULTS

The patients presented mild affective symptoms only. The reporting of anxiety symptoms was evaluated for validity according to clinically evaluated anxiety scores based on the two anxiety sub-items of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. The patients experienced symptoms of anxiety 19.3% of the time. There were statistically significant associations between anxiety and stress, quality of life and functioning (all p-values < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

In patients with BD in full or partial remission, the self-reporting of anxiety symptoms using smartphones was validated. Anxiety is associated with increased stress, decreased quality of life and functioning even during full or partial remission. Identifying anxiety symptoms thus has clinical impact, which suggests that smartphones may serve as a valid tool.

Larger right inferior frontal gyrus volume and surface area in participants at genetic risk for bipolar disorders

BACKGROUND

Larger grey matter volume of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) is among the most replicated biomarkers of genetic risk for bipolar disorders (BD). However, the IFG is a heterogeneous prefrontal region, and volumetric findings can be attributable to changes in cortical thickness (CT), surface area (SA) or gyrification. Here, we investigated the morphometry of IFG in participants at genetic risk for BD.

METHODS

We quantified the IFG cortical grey matter volume in 29 affected, 32 unaffected relatives of BD probands, and 42 controls. We then examined SA, CT, and cortical folding in subregions of the IFG.

RESULTS

We found volumetric group differences in the right IFG, with the largest volumes in unaffected high-risk and smallest in control participants (F2,192 = 3.07, p = 0.01). The volume alterations were localized to the pars triangularis of the IFG (F2,97 = 4.05, p = 0.02), with no differences in pars opercularis or pars orbitalis. Pars triangularis volume was highly correlated with its SA [Pearson r(101) = 0.88, p &lt; 0.001], which significantly differed between the groups (F2,97 = 4.45, p = 0.01). As with volume, the mean SA of the pars triangularis was greater in unaffected (corrected p = 0.02) and affected relatives (corrected p = 0.05) compared with controls. We did not find group differences in pars triangularis CT or gyrification.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings strengthen prior knowledge about the volumetric findings in this region and provide a new insight into the localization and topology of IFG alterations. The unique nature of rIFG morphology in BD, with larger volume and SA early in the course of illness, could have practical implications for detection of participants at risk for BD.

Spanish validation of the Barcelona TEMPS-A questionnaire in patients with bipolar disorder and general population

BACKGROUND

The Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego (TEMPS-A) is a self-administered questionnaire intended to assess five affective temperaments: depressive, cyclothymic, hyperthymic, irritable and anxious. Our objective was to examine the psychometric properties of the TEMPS-A using a sample comprised by patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy controls (HC) and to determine cut-off scores for each temperament.

METHODS

Five hundred and ninety-eight individuals (327 BD and 271 HC) completed the TEMPS-A. Cronbach's alpha was used to examine internal consistency reliability. Test-retest reliability and association between different temperamental scales were assessed using Spearman correlation. To confirm factor structure a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out. Cut-off scores indicating the presence of dominant temperament were also calculated.

RESULTS

Internal consistency was optimal for all temperament subscales (α: 0.682- 0.893). The questionnaire demonstrated good test-retest reliability (ρ: 0.594-0.754). The strongest positive associations were found between cyclothymic and anxious and between depressive and anxious temperaments. Hyperthymic and depressive as well as hyperthymic and anxious temperaments showed a strong negative correlation.

LIMITATIONS

The HC sample was not matched with the BD group. There were some sociodemographic and clinical differences between groups that may impact on the obtained results. A portion of patients with BD was recruited from tertiary centers.

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanish version of the Barcelona TEMPS-A questionnaire presents a good internal consistency and their results are stable in clinical population. The performance of the Barcelona TEMPS-A is as good as the original scale.

An evaluation of the impact of co-occurring anxiety and substance use disorder on bipolar disorder illness outcomes in STEP-BD

BACKGROUND

Anxiety disorder (AD) and substance use disorder (SUD) highly co-occur with bipolar disorder (BD). AD and/or SUD co-occurrence is associated with poorer clinical outcomes in BD. However, respective associations between AD and/or SUD diagnoses and BD outcomes require clarification. Baseline data from the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) were therefore utilized to investigate independent and simultaneous contributions of ADs and SUDs on clinical variables in BD.

METHODS

Two latent factors, "pathological anxiety" and "substance use problems," were derived from presence/absence of lifetime AD and SUD diagnoses. Latent dimensions' associations with clinical variables, obtained from the Affective Disorders Evaluation, Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview and Range of Impaired Functioning, were estimated via structural equation modeling (SEM).

RESULTS

Modeled independently, pathological anxiety and substance use problems were significantly associated with several variables. Yet when modeled simultaneously, pathological anxiety's associations with functional impairment, past-year rapid cycling, and past-year %time spent anxious and depressed remained while most variables' associations with substance use problems became non-significant. The only significant latent-factor interaction evidenced was for age of BD onset.

LIMITATIONS

Analyses were limited to lifetime diagnoses and causality may not be inferred given cross-sectional data.

CONCLUSIONS

ADs and SUDs impact on BD was mostly additive rather than synergistic. Findings highlight the potentially understated importance of treating inter-episodic anxiety in BD as it may exacerbate mood symptoms, increasing functional impairment and risk for subsequent mood episodes.

Predominant polarity in bipolar I and II disorders: A five-year follow-up study

BACKGROUND

Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) differ in their relative predominance of types of episodes, yielding predominant polarity, which has important treatment implications. However, few prospective studies of predominant polarity exist.

METHODS

In the Jorvi Bipolar Study (JoBS), a regionally representative cohort of 191 BD I and BD II in- and outpatients was followed for five years using life-chart methodology. Differences between depressive (DP), manic (MP), and no predominant polarity (NP) groups were examined regarding time ill, incidence of suicide attempts, and comorbidity.

RESULTS

At baseline, 16% of patients had MP, 36% DP, and 48% NP. During the follow-up the MP group spent significantly more time euthymic, less time in major depressive episodes, and more time in manic states than the DP and NP groups. The MP group had significantly lower incidence of suicide attempts than the DP and NP group, lower prevalence of comorbid anxiety disorders but more psychotic symptoms lifetime and more often (hypo)manic first phase of the illness than the DP group. Classification of predominant polarity was influenced by the timeframe used.

LIMITATIONS

The retrospective counting of former phases is vulnerable to recall bias. Assignment of dominant polarity may necessitate a sufficient number of illness phases.

CONCLUSIONS

Predominant polarity has predictive value in predicting group differences in course of illness, but individual patients' classification may change over time. Patients with manic polarity may represent a more distinct subgroup than the two others regarding illness course, suicide attempts, and psychiatric comorbidity.

Comorbidity of bipolar and anxiety disorders: An overview of trends in research

Over the last three decades burgeoning research has shown that anxiety disorder comorbidity is not only highly prevalent in bipolar disorder (BD), but it also adversely impacts the course, outcome, and treatment of BD. The present review provides an overview of the current trends in research on comorbid anxiety and BDs based on prior reviews and meta-analyses (n = 103), epidemiological surveys, and large-scale clinical studies. The results reiterated the fact that at least half of those with BD are likely to develop an anxiety disorder in their lifetimes and a third of them will manifest an anxiety disorder at any point of time. All types of anxiety disorders were equally common in BD. However, there was a wide variation in rates across different sources, with most of this discrepancy being accounted for by methodological differences between reports. Comorbid anxiety disorders negatively impacted the presentation and course of BD. This unfavourable clinical profile led to poorer outcome and functioning and impeded treatment of BD. Despite the extensive body of research there was paucity of data on aetiology and treatment of anxiety disorder comorbidity in BD. Nevertheless, the substantial burden and unique characteristics of this comorbidity has important clinical and research implications.

Clinical significance of neutrophil-lymphocyte and platelet-lymphocyte ratios in bipolar patients: An 18-month prospective study

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have recently been investigated as inexpensive and reproducible markers of systemic inflammation in many diseases. However, few studies evaluate clinical and prognostic value of NLR and PLR in psychiatric patients. The objective of this study is to investigate the clinical repercussions of NLR and PLR in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). An 18-month prospective study followed up eighty euthymic BD outpatients. Baseline data included an interviewer-administered questionnaire, behavioral scales and a blood count to calculate NLR and PLR. The occurrence of mood episodes and hospitalizations was assessed monthly for 18 months. Higher NLR and PRL were associated with more anxious symptoms and poorer functioning. BD patients with Night Eating Syndrome (NES) had higher PLR and tended to higher NLR. No association with other sleep parameters was evidenced. Higher NLR and PRL were also associated with more episodes and hospitalizations after 18 months. However, only higher baseline NLR was related to more (hypo)mania episodes. NLR and PLR are important prognostic factor for BD. This study suggested the importance of a simple blood count, an inexpensive and reproducible exam, in evaluating the course of the BD. Further studies must be performed to confirm these results.

Effects of deep breathing in patients with bipolar disorder

PURPOSE

Our aim was to evaluate the effects of deep breathing exercises in subjects with bipolar disorder.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This was an open-label, uncontrolled clinical trial with three assessments: preintervention, postintervention, and follow-up.

FINDINGS

The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, BECK-A, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Young Mania Rating Scale had significant preintervention, postintervention, and follow-up differences. The results indicated that the deep breathing protocol was effective in reducing anxiety levels in patients with bipolar disorder. The deep breathing protocol has no negative side effects and might be applied to decrease anxiety symptoms in individuals with bipolar disorder.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The results provide direction for providing quality care that reduces anxiety levels in patients with bipolar disorder.

Efficacy and Safety of Atypical Antipsychotics in Bipolar Disorder With Comorbid Substance Dependence: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVES

Bipolar disorder (BD) patients with a comorbid substance use disorder (SUD) are notoriously difficult to treat. Atypical antipsychotics (AAPs) are widely prescribed in BD, but their efficacy in patients with comorbid SUD is still debated. The aim of the present article is to systematically review the literature findings on the efficacy and safety of AAPs in BD patients with comorbid SUD.

METHODS

We searched PubMed to identify original studies focused on the treatment of dual diagnosed BD with AAPs.

RESULTS

Ten articles met our inclusion/exclusion criteria, involving a total of 969 subjects, 906 affected by BD and 793 with comorbid SUD: 4 were randomized controlled trials, 4 were open label trials and 2 were observational studies, published between 2002 and 2017. The most commonly abused substances were alcohol and cocaine. The AAPs used to treat patients were quetiapine (n = 337), asenapine (n = 119), olanzapine (n = 80), risperidone (n = 62), and aripiprazole (n = 48). In terms of safety, AAPs were usually well tolerated. Atypical antipsychotics were usually efficacious on acute mood symptoms, whereas their impact on substance-related issues was reported only in those studies without a placebo comparison.

CONCLUSIONS

According to our results, even though AAPs are widely used and efficacious in treating the clinical symptoms of BD, there are not enough data to suggest their adjunctive benefit on craving and substance consumption.

Specificity in Etiology of Subtypes of Bipolar Disorder: Evidence From a Swedish Population-Based Family Study

BACKGROUND

Uncertainty remains whether bipolar I disorder (BDI) and bipolar II disorder (BDII) differ etiologically. We used a population-based family sample to examine the etiological boundaries between BDI and BDII by assessing their familial aggregation/coaggregation and by assessing the coaggregation between them and schizophrenia, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, autism spectrum disorder, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders.

METHODS

By linking Swedish national registers, we established a population-based cohort (N = 15,685,511) and identified relatives with different biological relationships. Odds ratios (ORs) were used to measure the relative risk of BDI and BDII in relatives of individuals diagnosed with BDI (n = 4309) and BDII (n = 4178). The heritability for BDI and BDII and the genetic correlation across psychiatric disorders were estimated by variance decomposition analysis.

RESULTS

Compared with the general population, the OR of BDI was 17.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.1-22.0) in first-degree relatives of BDI patients, higher than that of BDII patients (OR 9.8, 95% CI 7.7-12.5). The ORs of BDII were 13.6 (95% CI 10.2-18.2) in first-degree relatives of BDII patients and 9.8 (95% CI 7.7-12.4) in relatives of BDI patients. The heritabilities for BDI and BDII were estimated at 57% (95% CI 32%-79%) and 46% (95% CI 21%-67%), respectively, with a genetic correlation estimated as 0.78 (95% CI 0.36-1.00). The familial coaggregation of other psychiatric disorders, in particular schizophrenia, showed different patterns for BDI and BDII.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest a distinction between BDI and BDII in etiology, partly due to genetic differences.

Treatment of anxiety disorders in patients with comorbid bipolar disorder

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent comorbid diagnoses in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). A comorbid anxiety diagnosis can significantly impact the severity of bipolar symptoms, increase the risk of suicidality, and decrease psychosocial functioning and quality of life. The Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) task force published recommendations for treatment in 2012 suggesting that specific anticonvulsant mood stabilizers and second-generation antipsychotics are the medications of choice to treat these comorbidities. Serotonergic antidepressant medications are first-line medications for the treatment of most anxiety disorders; however, this can be problematic for a patient with BD. Antidepressant use in BD has been associated with a risk of manic switch as well as potential destabilization of mood. Mood stabilizer therapy should be established for patients with comorbid BD and an anxiety disorder before other medications are added to address the anxiety disorder. While benzodiazepine medications are recommended as third-line therapy in the CANMAT task force recommendations, their use should be avoided in patients with comorbid BD, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. The use of benzodiazepines should in general be avoided for all patients if possible, based upon current clinical research. Interpersonal, cognitive behavioral, and relaxation therapy are effective for the treatment of anxiety symptoms, especially emotional experiences, in patients who are euthymic.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorders as precursors of bipolar disorder onset in adulthood

BACKGROUND

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety disorders have been proposed as precursors of bipolar disorder, but their joint and relative roles in the development of bipolar disorder are unknown.AimsTo test the prospective relationship of ADHD and anxiety with onset of bipolar disorder.

METHOD

We examined the relationship between ADHD, anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder in a birth cohort of 2 409 236 individuals born in Denmark between 1955 and 1991. Individuals were followed from their sixteenth birthday or from January 1995 to their first clinical contact for bipolar disorder or until December 2012. We calculated incidence rates per 10 000 person-years and tested the effects of prior diagnoses on the risk of bipolar disorder in survival models.

RESULTS

Over 37 394 865 person-years follow-up, 9250 onsets of bipolar disorder occurred. The incidence rate of bipolar disorder was 2.17 (95% CI 2.12-2.19) in individuals with no prior diagnosis of ADHD or anxiety, 23.86 (95% CI 19.98-27.75) in individuals with a prior diagnosis of ADHD only, 26.05 (95% CI 24.47-27.62) in individuals with a prior diagnosis of anxiety only and 66.16 (95% CI 44.83-87.47) in those with prior diagnoses of both ADHD and anxiety. The combination of ADHD and anxiety increased the risk of bipolar disorder 30-fold (95% CI 21.66-41.40) compared with those with no prior ADHD or anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Early manifestations of both internalising and externalising psychopathology indicate liability to bipolar disorder. The combination of ADHD and anxiety is associated with a very high risk of bipolar disorder.Declaration of interestNone.

High Throughput Phenotyping for Dimensional Psychopathology in Electronic Health Records

BACKGROUND

Relying on diagnostic categories of neuropsychiatric illness obscures the complexity of these disorders. Capturing multiple dimensional measures of neuropathology could facilitate the clinical and neurobiological investigation of cognitive and behavioral phenotypes.

METHODS

We developed a natural language processing-based approach to extract five symptom dimensions, based on the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria definitions, from narrative clinical notes. Estimates of Research Domain Criteria loading were derived from a cohort of 3619 individuals with 4623 hospital admissions. We applied this tool to a large corpus of psychiatric inpatient admission and discharge notes (2010-2015), and using the same cohort we examined face validity, predictive validity, and convergent validity with gold standard annotations.

RESULTS

In mixed-effect models adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical features, greater negative and positive symptom domains were associated with a shorter length of stay (β = -.88, p = .001 and β = -1.22, p < .001, respectively), while greater social and arousal domain scores were associated with a longer length of stay (β = .93, p < .001 and β = .81, p = .007, respectively). In fully adjusted Cox regression models, a greater positive domain score at discharge was also associated with a significant increase in readmission risk (hazard ratio = 1.22, p < .001). Positive and negative valence domains were correlated with expert annotation (by analysis of variance [df = 3], R² = .13 and .19, respectively). Likewise, in a subset of patients, neurocognitive testing was correlated with cognitive performance scores (p < .008 for three of six measures).

CONCLUSIONS

This shows that natural language processing can be used to efficiently and transparently score clinical notes in terms of cognitive and psychopathologic domains.

Residual anxiety may be associated with depressive relapse during continuation therapy of bipolar II depression

BACKGROUND

Anxiety symptoms are common in bipolar disorder. We explored the effect of anxiety on the outcome of acute and continuation pharmacotherapy of bipolar II depression.

METHODS

Data were derived from a randomized double-blind 12-week acute (N = 129) and 6-month continuation (N = 55) comparison of venlafaxine versus lithium monotherapy in bipolar II depression in adults. We distinguished between the items of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) that capture depression vs. anxiety (i.e., psychomotor agitation, psychic anxiety, somatic anxiety, hypochondriasis, and obsessive-compulsive concerns) and examined the effect of treatment on depression and anxiety. Additionally, we explored whether baseline anxiety or depression predicted changes over time in depression and anxiety ratings or moderated treatment outcomes. We also explored whether residual depressive and anxious symptoms predicted relapse during continuation therapy.

RESULTS

Venlafaxine was superior to lithium in reducing both depression and anxiety, though its effects on anxiety were more modest than those on depression. Baseline anxiety predicted change over time in anxiety, but not depression. By contrast, baseline depression did not predict change over time in depression or anxiety. Residual anxiety, specifically uncontrollable worry, was a stronger predictor of relapse than residual depression.

CONCLUSION

Successful treatment of symptoms of anxiety in bipolar depression may protect against depressive relapse.

Predictors and outcomes of somatization in bipolar I disorder: A latent class mixture modeling approach

BACKGROUND

Mood disorders are often associated with somatic symptoms. The role of somatic symptoms on disease progression in unipolar depression is substantially better characterized than that role in bipolar disorder. Moreover, the contribution of comorbid anxiety disorders and medical illness is not well understood.

METHOD

We investigated 527 patients with bipolar I disorder clustered within 102 families using a latent class approach. Predictors were added stepwise into the model. Anxiety and commonly associated medical illnesses were added as covariates.

RESULTS

The rate of somatic symptoms in this sample was 73% (mean 1.7 symptoms), and 27.3% had a comorbid anxiety disorder. A two-class model, with a subgroup at high-risk for somatization, gave the best fit to the data. Multilevel mixture modeling accounted for family clusters. Somatic symptoms were independently associated with disease severity, defined as earlier age of first seeking psychiatric help (x = 21.7 vs x = 24.7, p = 0.005) and first psychiatric hospitalization (x = 25.7 vs x = 28.2, p = 0.03), greater probability of attempting suicide (x = 0.41 vs x = 0.32, p = 0.047), and rapid-cycling disease course (x = 0.57 vs x = 0.36, p < 0.001). Persons with few or no somatic symptoms were more likely to be hospitalized for severe mania (x = 0.63 vs x = 0.51; p = 0.013), but did not significantly differ in hospitalization for severe depression.

LIMITATIONS

The study is correlational. Information on pharmacologic interventions and comorbid diseases was limited.

CONCLUSIONS

Somatic symptoms in bipolar disorder could be an independent indicator for disease severity, suicidality, and rapid-cycling disease course. In severe mental illness, somatic and psychological symptoms must be jointly addressed.

Prevalence and Associated Features of Anxiety Disorder Comorbidity in Bipolar Disorder: A Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression Study

Objective: Bipolar disorder is highly comorbid with anxiety disorders, however current and lifetime comorbidity patterns of each anxiety disorder and their associated features are not well studied. Here, we aimed to conduct a meta-analysis and meta-regression study of current evidence. Method: We searched PubMed to access relevant articles published until September 2015, using the keywords "Bipolar disorder" or "Affective Psychosis" or "manic depressive" separately with "generalized anxiety," "panic disorder," "social phobia," "obsessive compulsive," and "anxiety." Variables for associated features and prevalence of anxiety disorders were carefully extracted. Results: Lifetime any anxiety disorder comorbidity in BD was 40.5%; panic disorder (PD) 18.1%, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) 13.3%, social anxiety disorder (SAD) 13.5% and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) 9.7%. Current any anxiety disorder comorbidity in BD is 38.2%; GAD is 15.2%, PD 13.3%, SAD 11.7%, and OCD 9.9%. When studies reporting data about comorbidities in BDI or BDII were analyzed separately, lifetime any anxiety disorder comorbidity in BDI and BDII were 38% and 34%, PD was 15% and 15%, GAD was 14% and 16.6%, SAD was 8% and 13%, OCD was 8% and 10%, respectively. Current any DSM anxiety disorder comorbidity in BDI or BDII were 31% and 37%, PD was 9% and 13%, GAD was 8% and 12%, SAD was 7% and 11%, and OCD was 8% and 7%, respectively. The percentage of manic patients and age of onset of BD tended to have a significant impact on anxiety disorders. Percentage of BD I patients significantly decreased the prevalence of panic disorder and social anxiety disorder. A higher rate of substance use disorder was associated with greater BD-SAD comorbidity. History of psychotic features significantly affected current PD and GAD. Conclusions: Anxiety disorder comorbidity is high in BD with somewhat lower rates in BDI vs BDII. Age of onset, substance use disorders, and percentage of patients in a manic episode or with psychotic features influences anxiety disorder comorbidity.

Irritable temperament and lifetime psychotic symptoms as predictors of anxiety symptoms in bipolar disorder

PURPOSE

Affective temperaments, hopelessness, alexithymia, and anxiety/agitation symptoms may play a significant role in the psychopathological characteristics of bipolar disorder (BD). Here, we aimed to investigate the eventual association between the mentioned explanatory variables and anxiety/agitation symptoms in BD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We recruited at the Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, University of Genoa (Italy), 92 BD inpatients having a mean age of 52 (±13.8) years. Participants were assessed using specific psychometric instruments. Anxiety/agitation symptoms have been evaluated using the 11-item of the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II).

RESULTS

Overall, 53.8% of participants presented with anxiety/agitation symptoms and 46.2% without. The two groups significantly differed about socio-economic status, lifetime psychotic symptoms, and residual depressive symptoms between episodes. Anxiety/agitation symptoms significantly correlated with irritable affective temperament (r = 0.407; p = .01), hopelessness (r = 0.541; p ≤ .001), difficulty identifying feelings (r = 0.440; p ≤ .001), difficulty describing feelings (r = 0.437; p ≤ .001), and externally oriented-thinking (r = 0.393; p ≤ .001). After multivariate analyses, irritable affective temperament (OR = 2.457, p ≤ .01) and less lifetime psychotic symptoms (OR = 0.007, p ≤ .05) remained the only significant variables associated with anxiety/agitation symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The generalization of the main findings is limited by the small sample size and cross-sectional study design. Nevertheless, our results suggest that the careful assessment of affective temperaments and psychotic symptoms may help to early identify BD patients suffering from anxiety/agitation symptoms and may allow to perform targeted interventions in the clinical practice.

Anxiety disorders and childhood maltreatment as predictors of outcome in bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Comorbid anxiety disorders and childhood maltreatment have each been linked with unfavourable outcomes in people with bipolar disorder. Because childhood maltreatment is associated with anxiety disorders in this population, their respective predictive value remains to be determined.

METHODS

In 174 adults with bipolar disorder, we assessed childhood maltreatment using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and lifetime anxiety disorders with the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview. We constructed an overall index of severity of bipolar disorder as a sum of six indicators (unemployment, psychotic symptoms, more than five manic episodes, more than five depressive episodes, suicide attempt, and hospital admission). We tested the relationship between childhood maltreatment, the number of anxiety disorders and the overall severity index using ordered logistic regression.

RESULTS

The number of lifetime anxiety disorders was associated with the overall severity index (OR = 1.43, 95%CI = 1.01-2.04, p = 0.047). This relationship was only slightly attenuated when controlled for childhood maltreatment (OR = 1.39, 95%CI = 0.97-2.00, p = 0.069). The relationship between childhood maltreatment and the overall severity index was not statistically significant (OR = 1.26, 95%CI = 0.92-1.74, p = 0.151). Secondary analyses revealed that childhood maltreatment was associated with suicide attempts (OR = 1.70, 95%CI = 1.15-2.51, p = 0.008) and obsessive compulsive disorder was associated with the overall severity index (OR = 9.56, 95%CI = 2.20-41.47, p = 0.003).

LIMITATIONS

This was a cross-sectional study with a moderate-sized sample recruited from a specialist program.

CONCLUSIONS

While comorbid anxiety disorders are associated with the overall severity of bipolar disorder, childhood maltreatment is specifically associated with suicide attempts. Clinicians should systematically assess both factors. Interventions to improve outcomes of people with bipolar disorder with comorbid anxiety disorders and history of childhood maltreatment are needed.

Methodological recommendations for cognition trials in bipolar disorder by the International Society for Bipolar Disorders Targeting Cognition Task Force

OBJECTIVES

To aid the development of treatment for cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder, the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) convened a task force to create a consensus-based guidance paper for the methodology and design of cognition trials in bipolar disorder.

METHODS

The task force was launched in September 2016, consisting of 18 international experts from nine countries. A series of methodological issues were identified based on literature review and expert opinion. The issues were discussed and expanded upon in an initial face-to-face meeting, telephone conference call and email exchanges. Based upon these exchanges, recommendations were achieved.

RESULTS

Key methodological challenges are: lack of consensus on how to screen for entry into cognitive treatment trials, define cognitive impairment, track efficacy, assess functional implications, and manage mood symptoms and concomitant medication. Task force recommendations are to: (i) enrich trials with objectively measured cognitively impaired patients; (ii) generally select a broad cognitive composite score as the primary outcome and a functional measure as a key secondary outcome; and (iii) include remitted or partly remitted patients. It is strongly encouraged that trials exclude patients with current substance or alcohol use disorders, neurological disease or unstable medical illness, and keep non-study medications stable. Additional methodological considerations include neuroimaging assessments, targeting of treatments to illness stage and using a multimodal approach.

CONCLUSIONS

This ISBD task force guidance paper provides the first consensus-based recommendations for cognition trials in bipolar disorder. Adherence to these recommendations will likely improve the sensitivity in detecting treatment efficacy in future trials and increase comparability between studies.

American tertiary clinic-referred bipolar II disorder versus bipolar I disorder associated with hastened depressive recurrence

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic, frequently comorbid condition characterized by high rates of mood episode recurrence and suicidality. Little is known about prospective longitudinal characterization of BD type II (BD II) versus type I (BD I) in relation to time to depressive recurrence and recovery from major depressive episode. We therefore assessed times to depressive recurrence/recovery in tertiary clinic-referred BD II versus I patients.

METHODS

Outpatients referred to Stanford BD Clinic during 2000-2011 were assessed with Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BD (STEP-BD) Affective Disorders Evaluation and with Clinical Monitoring Form during up to 2 years of naturalistic treatment. Prevalence and clinical correlates of bipolar subtype in recovered (euthymic ≥8 weeks) and depressed patients were assessed. Kaplan-Meier analyses assessed the relationships between bipolar subtype and longitudinal depressive severity, and Cox proportional hazard analyses assessed the potential mediators.

RESULTS

BD II versus BD I was less common among 105 recovered (39.0 vs. 61.0%, p = 0.03) and more common among 153 depressed (61.4 vs. 38.6%, p = 0.006) patients. Among recovered patients, BD II was associated with 6/25 (24.0%) baseline unfavorable illness characteristics/mood symptoms/psychotropics and hastened depressive recurrence (p = 0.015). Among depressed patients, BD II was associated with 8/25 (33.0%) baseline unfavorable illness characteristics/mood symptoms/psychotropics, but only non-significantly associated with delayed depressive recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

BD II versus BD I was significantly associated with current depression and hastened depressive recurrence, but only non-significantly associated with delayed depressive recovery. Research on bipolar subtype relationships with depressive recurrence/recovery is warranted to enhance clinical management of BD patients.

Does perfectionism in bipolar disorder pedigrees mediate associations between anxiety/stress and mood symptoms?

Background

Bipolar disorder (BD) and the anxiety disorders are highly comorbid. The present study sought to examine perfectionism and goal attainment values as potential mechanisms of known associations between anxiety, stress and BD symptomatology. Measures of perfectionism and goal attainment values were administered to 269 members of BD pedigrees, alongside measures of anxiety and stress, and BD mood symptoms. Regression analyses were used to determine whether perfectionism and goal attainment values were related to depressive and (hypo)manic symptoms; planned mediation models were then used to test the potential for perfectionism to mediate associations between anxiety/stress and BD symptoms.

Results

Self-oriented perfectionism was associated with chronic depressive symptoms; socially-prescribed perfectionism was associated with chronic (hypo)manic symptoms. Self-oriented perfectionism mediated relationships between anxiety/stress and chronic depressive symptoms even after controlling for chronic hypomanic symptoms. Similarly, socially-prescribed perfectionism mediated associations between anxiety/stress and chronic hypomanic symptoms after controlling for chronic depressive symptoms. Goal attainment beliefs were not uniquely associated with chronic depressive or (hypo)manic symptoms.

Conclusions

Cognitive styles of perfectionism may explain the co-occurrence of anxiety and stress symptoms and BD symptoms. Psychological interventions for anxiety and stress symptoms in BD might therefore address perfectionism in attempt to reduce depression and (hypo)manic symptoms in addition to appropriate pharmacotherapy.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40345-017-0102-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Influence of Mild Cognitive Impairment, Depression, and Anxiety on the Quality of Life of Patients with Parkinson Disease

Background

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are common in Parkinson disease (PD) and have a negative impact on the patient's quality of life (QoL). We aim to describe the effect of NPS and MCI on each other and on QoL.

Methods

Sixteen MCI and 37 non-MCI PD patients completed different self-assessment questionnaires including the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), the Beck Depression Inventory (BD), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Self-Report Manic Inventory (SRMI). Linear regression with stepwise elimination was used to select the significant predictors of QoL and to control for confounding factors.

Results

The significant linear regression model (R² = 0.68, p ≤ 0.01) revealed significant effects of MCI (p = 0.03), BDI (p ≤ 0.01), BAI (p ≤ 0.01), age (p = 0.03), a trend of SRMI (p = 0.06), and disease duration (p = 0.08) on QoL.

Conclusions

MCI, anxiety, depression, and age decrease QoL in patients with PD. NPS has the main influence in the prediction of QoL in patients with PD, whereas MCI is only of minor importance.

Lifetime anxiety disorder and current anxiety symptoms associated with hastened depressive recurrence in bipolar disorder

AIMS

To assess differential relationships between lifetime anxiety disorder/current anxiety symptoms and longitudinal depressive severity in bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

Stanford BD Clinic outpatients enrolled during 2000-2011 were assessed with the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BD (STEP-BD) Affective Disorders Evaluation and followed with the STEP-BD Clinical Monitoring Form while receiving naturalistic treatment for up to two years. Baseline unfavorable illness characteristics/current mood symptoms and times to depressive recurrence/recovery were compared in patients with versus without lifetime anxiety disorder/current anxiety symptoms.

RESULTS

Among 105 currently recovered patients, lifetime anxiety disorder was significantly associated with 10/27 (37.0%) demographic/other unfavorable illness characteristics/current mood symptoms/current psychotropics, hastened depressive recurrence (driven by earlier onset age), and a significantly (> two-fold) higher Kaplan-Meier estimated depressive recurrence rate, whereas current anxiety symptoms were significantly associated with 10/27 (37.0%) demographic/other unfavorable illness characteristics/current mood symptoms/current psychotropics and hastened depressive recurrence (driven by lifetime anxiety disorder), but only a numerically higher Kaplan-Meier estimated depressive recurrence rate. In contrast, among 153 currently depressed patients, lifetime anxiety disorder/current anxiety symptoms were not significantly associated with time to depressive recovery or depressive recovery rate.

LIMITATIONS

American tertiary BD clinic referral sample, open naturalistic treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Research is needed regarding differential relationships between lifetime anxiety disorder and current anxiety symptoms and hastened/delayed depressive recurrence/recovery - specifically whether lifetime anxiety disorder versus current anxiety symptoms has marginally more robust association with hastened depressive recurrence, and whether both have marginally more robust associations with hastened depressive recurrence versus delayed depressive recovery, and related clinical implications.

Efficient genome-wide association in biobanks using topic modeling identifies multiple novel disease loci

Biobanks and national registries represent a powerful tool for genomic discovery, but rely on diagnostic codes that may be unreliable and fail to capture the relationship between related diagnoses. We developed an efficient means of conducting genome-wide association studies using combinations of diagnostic codes from electronic health records (EHR) for 10845 participants in a biobanking program at two large academic medical centers. Specifically, we applied latent Dirichilet allocation to fit 50 disease topics based on diagnostic codes, then conducted genome-wide common-variant association for each topic. In sensitivity analysis, these results were contrasted with those obtained from traditional single-diagnosis phenome-wide association analysis, as well as those in which only a subset of diagnostic codes are included per topic. In meta-analysis across three biobank cohorts, we identified 23 disease-associated loci with p<1e-15, including previously associated autoimmune disease loci. In all cases, observed significant associations were of greater magnitude than for single phenome-wide diagnostic codes, and incorporation of less strongly-loading diagnostic codes enhanced association. This strategy provides a more efficient means of phenome-wide association in biobanks with coded clinical data.

Abnormal sleep duration associated with hastened depressive recurrence in bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Abnormal sleep duration (ASD, <6 or ≥9h) is common in bipolar disorder (BD), and often persists beyond acute mood episodes. Few longitudinal studies have examined the ASD's impact upon BD illness course. The current study examined the longitudinal impact of ASD upon bipolar depressive recurrence/recovery.

METHODS

Outpatients referred to the Stanford BD Clinic during 2000-2011 were assessed with the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BD (STEP-BD) Affective Disorders Evaluation at baseline, and with the Clinical Monitoring Form at monthly follow-ups for up to two years of naturalistic treatment. Prevalence and clinical correlates of ASD in 93 recovered (euthymic ≥8 weeks) and 153 depressed BD patients were assessed. Kaplan-Meier analyses (Log-Rank tests) assessed relationships between baseline ASD and longitudinal depressive severity, with Cox Proportional Hazard analyses assessing potential mediators.

RESULTS

ASD was only half as common among recovered versus depressed BD outpatients, but was significantly associated with hastened depressive recurrence (Log-Rank p=0.007), mediated by lifetime anxiety disorder and attenuated by lifetime history of psychosis, and had only a non-significant tendency towards association with delayed depressive recovery (Log-Rank p=0.07). In both recovered and depressed BD outpatients, baseline ASD did not have significant association with any baseline BD illness characteristic.

LIMITATIONS

Self-reported sleep duration. Limited generalizability beyond our predominately white, female, educated, insured American BD specialty clinic sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Baseline ASD among recovered BD patients may be a risk marker for hastened depressive recurrence, suggesting it could be an important therapeutic target between mood episodes.

Psychiatric Disorders and Quality of Life in the Offspring of Parents with Bipolar Disorder

OBJECTIVE

To determine current and lifetime psychopathology and assess quality of life (QoL) in offspring of a parent with bipolar disorder (BD).

METHODS

We investigated 43 offspring of bipolar parents (high-risk offspring [HRO]) (mean age 12.5 ± 3.1; range 6.7-17.9 years) and 43 comparison offspring matched for sex, age, and IQ of healthy parents. Lifetime and current presence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. (DSM-5) diagnoses were assessed using Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). We administered parent and self-report versions of General Behavior Inventory and the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED). QoL was evaluated using the self-report questionnaire KIDSCREN-52.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven HRO (86%) and 18 controls (42%) met DSM-5 criteria for at least one lifetime psychiatric diagnosis (adjusted OR = 7.20; 95% CI 2.27-22.81). Compared to controls, HRO had higher lifetime frequency of any mood disorder (33% vs. 2%, p < 0.001), anxiety disorder (60% vs. 14%, p < 0.001), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (26% vs. 5%, p = 0.01). After adjustment for confounders, only mood (OR = 13.05; 95% CI 1.41-120.60) and anxiety (OR = 9.69; 95% CI 2.75-34.31) disorders remained significantly more frequent in the HRO group. In comparison with controls, HRO scored lower in the following domains: QoL, social support and relationship with peers (p = 0.003; Cohen's d = 0.91), parent relationships and home life (p = 0.008; d = 0.67), as well as self-perception (p = 0.04; d = 0.55).

CONCLUSIONS

In agreement with other studies, we found a higher rate of lifetime anxiety and mood disorders in children and adolescents at confirmed familial risk for BD. Reduction in QoL was already evident across a number of domains. Adult psychiatrists should incorporate into their assessment procedures targeted questions on the presence of psychopathology in offspring of their adult patients with severe mental disorders and child services should bridge with adult services providing accessible services to children of affected parents.

Psychiatric and physical comorbidities and their impact on the course of bipolar disorder: A prospective, naturalistic 4-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was to increase the available evidence on how physical and psychiatric comorbidities influence the long-term outcome in bipolar I and II disorder.

METHODS

We examined the prevalence of comorbid physical (metabolic, cardiovascular, thyroid, and neurological) diseases and psychiatric (neurotic, stress-related, somatoform, and personality) disorders and their impact on the risk of relapse in bipolar disorder. A total of 284 consecutively admitted patients with ICD-10 bipolar I (n=161) and II (n=123) disorder were followed up naturalistically over a period of 4 years.

RESULTS

Globally, 22.0% patients had metabolic, 18.8% cardiovascular, 18.8% thyroid, and 7.6% neurological diseases; 15.5% had neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders; 12.0% had personality disorders; and 52.9% had nicotine dependence. We did not find any effect of comorbid metabolic, cardiovascular or neurological diseases or psychiatric disorders on the relapse risk. However, the presence of thyroid diseases, and especially hypothyroidism, was associated with an increased risk of manic relapse in bipolar disorder I (thyroid disease: hazard ratio [HR]=2.7; P=.003; hypothyroidism: HR=3.7;, P<.001). Among patients with hypothyroidism, higher blood levels of baseline thyroid-stimulating hormone (bTSH) were also associated with an increased risk of manic relapse (HR=1.07 per milli-international units per liter; P=.011), whereas blood levels of free triiodothyronine (fT₃ ) or free thyroxine (fT₄ ) were not found to have an influence.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data underline the negative long-term impact of thyroid diseases, and especially hypothyroidism with high blood levels of bTSH, on bipolar disorder with more manic episodes, and the importance of its detection and treatment.

Sudarshan Kriya Yoga improves cardiac autonomic control in patients with anxiety-depression disorders

BACKGROUND

Several studies have demonstrated that adjuvant therapies as exercise and breathing training are effective in improving cardiac autonomic control (CAC) in patients with affective spectrum disorders. However, the effects of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) on autonomic function in this population is unknown. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that SKY training improves CAC and cardiorespiratory coupling in patients with anxiety and/or depression disorders.

METHODS

Forty-six patients with a diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression disorders (DSM-IV) were consecutively enrolled and divided in two groups: 1) conventional therapy (Control) and 2) conventional therapy associated with SKY (Treatment) for 15 days. Anxiety and depression levels were determined using quantitative questionnaires. For the assessment of CAC and cardiorespiratory coupling, cardiorespiratory traces were analyzed using monovariate and bivariate autoregressive spectral analysis, respectively.

RESULTS

After 15-days, we observed a reduction of anxiety and depression levels only in Treatment group. Moreover, sympathetic modulation and CAC were significantly lower while parasympathetic modulation and cardiorespiratory coupling were significantly higher in the Treatment compared to Control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Intensive breathing training using SKY approach improves anxiety and/or depressive disorders as well as CAC and cardiorespiratory coupling. These finding suggest that the SKY training may be a useful non-pharmacological intervention to improve symptoms and reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with anxiety/depression disorders.

Prevalence of current anxiety disorders in people with bipolar disorder during euthymia: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in people with bipolar disorder, but it is not clear how many have anxiety disorders even at times when they are free of major mood episodes. We aimed to establish what proportion of euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder meet diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders.

METHOD

We performed a random-effects meta-analysis of prevalence rates of current DSM-III- and DSM-IV-defined anxiety disorders (panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified) in euthymic adults with bipolar disorder in studies published by 31 December 2015.

RESULTS

Across 10 samples with 2120 individuals with bipolar disorder, 34.7% met diagnostic criteria for one or more anxiety disorders during euthymia [95% confidence interval (CI) 23.9-45.5%]. Direct comparison of 189 euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder and 17 109 population controls across three studies showed a 4.6-fold increase (risk ratio 4.60, 95% CI 2.37-8.92, p < 0.001) in prevalence of anxiety disorders in those with bipolar disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that anxiety disorders are common in people with bipolar disorder even when their mood is adequately controlled. Euthymic people with bipolar disorder should be routinely assessed for anxiety disorders and anxiety-focused treatment should be initiated if indicated.

Long-term efficacy and safety of lamotrigine for all types of bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

We investigated whether the long-term efficacy and safety of lamotrigine (LTG) for bipolar disorder (BP) differs between disease types (BP-I, BP-II, or BP not otherwise specified [BP-NOS]), and the efficacy of the concomitant use of antidepressants (ADs).

METHODS

For >1 year, we observed 445 outpatients with BP (diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria) who initiated LTG treatment between July 1 and October 31, 2011, using the Himorogi Self-rating Depression (HSDS) and Anxiety Scales and the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale and also recorded adverse events.

RESULTS

Treatment efficacy was observed at week 4, with the improved HSDS scores sustained until week 52 for all types of BP; 50% of the patients with any type of BP could be treated with LTG for 1 year, whereas ~40% could be treated for >1.5 years. However, 25% of the patients were withdrawn within the first 4 weeks. The overall incidence of adverse events was 22.9% (104/455): 34.1% (14/41) for BP-I, 22.7% (15/66) for BP-II, and 22.2% (75/338) for BP-NOS. The most common adverse event was skin rash: 22.0% for BP-I, 16.7% for BP-II, and 12.1% for BP-NOS.

LIMITATIONS

There was no control group. Data were collected retrospectively.

CONCLUSION

With careful and adequate titration, long-term treatment with LTG is possible for any type of BP, with BP-NOS patients, the largest population in clinical practice, responding particularly well. Symptoms can improve with or without ADs. Large-scale prospective studies of the efficacy of ADs in bipolar treatment are warranted.

Factor analysis of temperament and personality traits in bipolar patients: Correlates with comorbidity and disorder severity

BACKGROUND

Temperament and personality traits have been suggested as endophenotypes for bipolar disorder based on several lines of evidence, including heritability. Previous work suggested an anxious-reactive factor identified across temperament and personality inventories that produced significant group discrimination and could potentially be useful in genetic analyses. We have attempted to further characterize this factor structure in a sample of bipolar patients.

METHODS

A sample of 1195 subjects with bipolar I disorder was evaluated, all with complete data available. Dimension reduction across two inventories identified 18 factors explaining 39% of the variance.

RESULTS

The two largest factors reflected affective instability and general anxiety/worry, respectively. Subsequent analyses of the clinical features associated with bipolar disorder revealed specificity for the factors in a predictable pattern. Cluster analysis of the factors identified a subgroup defined by a strong lack of general anxiety and low affective instability represented by the first two factors. The remaining subjects could be distinguished into two clusters by the presence of either more positive characteristics, including persistence/drive, spirituality, expressivity, and humor, or more negative characteristics of depression and anxiety.

LIMITATIONS

These analyses involved bipolar I subjects only and must be extended to other bipolar spectrum diagnoses, unaffected relatives, and individuals at risk.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that temperament and personality measures access latent traits associated with important clinical features of bipolar disorder. By translating clinical variables into quantitative traits, we may identify subgroups of bipolar patients with distinct clinical profiles, thereby facilitating both individual treatment strategies and genetic analyses.

State anxiety as a moderator of real world grocery shopping performance among people with serious mental illness

Anxiety is frequently overlooked as a factor when examining task performance among individuals with serious mental illness. Given the known effects of anxiety on performance in general populations, it is important to examine anxiety and performance within a serious mental illness population. This study examined state anxiety during a grocery-shopping task among 106 individuals diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Results indicate that state anxiety may impact task performance through its relationship with knowledge about grocery-shopping skills. These data suggest the need to examine further the impact of anxiety on task performance in serious mental illness. Furthermore, the identification and treatment of anxiety in persons with SMI may serve to improve functional outcomes and rehabilitation efforts.

Sleep and circadian alterations in people at risk for bipolar disorder: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Sleep and circadian abnormalities have been mostly demonstrated in bipolar patients. However, it is not clear whether these alterations are present in population at high risk for bipolar disorder (BD), indicating a possible risk factor for this condition.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aims to define current evidence about sleep and rhythm alterations in people at risk for BD and to evaluate sleep and circadian disorders as risk factor for BD.

METHODS

The systematic review included all articles about the topic until February 2016. Two researchers performed an electronic search of PubMed and Cochrane Library. Keywords used were 'sleep' or 'rhythm' or 'circadian' AND 'bipolar disorder' or 'mania' or 'bipolar depression' AND 'high-risk' or 'risk'.

RESULTS

Thirty articles were analyzed (7451 participants at risk for BD). Sleep disturbances are frequent in studies using both subjective measures and actigraphy. High-risk individuals reported irregularity of sleep/wake times, poor sleep and circadian rhythm disruption. Poor sleep quality, nighttime awakenings, and inadequate sleep are possible predictive factors for BD. A unique study suggested that irregular rhythms increase risk of conversion. People at risk for BD showed high cortisol levels in different times of day. Studies about anatomopathology, melatonin levels, inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress were not identified. The most important limitations were differences in sleep and rhythm measures, heterogeneity of study designs, and lack of consistency in the definition of population at risk.

CONCLUSION

Sleep and circadian disturbances are common in people at risk for BD. However, the pathophysiology of these alterations and the impact on BD onset are still unclear.

Anxiety symptoms in a major mood and schizophrenia spectrum disorders

BACKGROUND

Comorbid anxiety symptoms and disorders are present in many psychiatric disorders, but methodological variations render comparisons of their frequency and intensity difficult. Furthermore, whether risk factors for comorbid anxiety symptoms are similar in patients with mood disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders remains unclear.

METHODS

The Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS) was used to measure anxiety symptoms in psychiatric care patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (SSA, n=113), bipolar disorder (BD, n=99), or depressive disorder (DD, n=188) in the Helsinki University Psychiatric Consortium Study. Bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression models were used to examine associations of depressive symptoms, neuroticism, early psychological trauma and distress, self-efficacy, symptoms of borderline personality disorder, and attachment style with anxiety symptoms in the three diagnostic groups.

RESULTS

Frequent or constant anxiety was reported by 40.2% of SSA, 51.5% of BD, and 55.6% of DD patients; it was described as severe or extreme by 43.8%, 41.4%, and 41.2% of these patients, respectively. SSA patients were significantly less anxious (P=0.010) and less often avoided anxiety-provoking situations (P=0.009) than the other patients. In regression analyses, OASIS was associated with high neuroticism, symptoms of depression and borderline personality disorder and low self-efficacy in all patients, and with early trauma in patients with mood disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Comorbid anxiety symptoms are ubiquitous among psychiatric patients with mood or schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and in almost half of them, reportedly severe. Anxiety symptoms appear to be strongly related to both concurrent depressive symptoms and personality characteristics, regardless of principal diagnosis.

Evidence-based guidelines for treating bipolar disorder: Revised third edition recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology

The British Association for Psychopharmacology guidelines specify the scope and targets of treatment for bipolar disorder. The third version is based explicitly on the available evidence and presented, like previous Clinical Practice Guidelines, as recommendations to aid clinical decision making for practitioners: it may also serve as a source of information for patients and carers, and assist audit. The recommendations are presented together with a more detailed review of the corresponding evidence. A consensus meeting, involving experts in bipolar disorder and its treatment, reviewed key areas and considered the strength of evidence and clinical implications. The guidelines were drawn up after extensive feedback from these participants. The best evidence from randomized controlled trials and, where available, observational studies employing quasi-experimental designs was used to evaluate treatment options. The strength of recommendations has been described using the GRADE approach. The guidelines cover the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, clinical management, and strategies for the use of medicines in short-term treatment of episodes, relapse prevention and stopping treatment. The use of medication is integrated with a coherent approach to psychoeducation and behaviour change.

Childhood maltreatment and unfavourable clinical outcomes in bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder affects up to one in 25 individuals and identification of early risk indicators of negative outcomes could facilitate early detection of patients with greatest clinical needs and risk. We aimed to investigate the association between childhood maltreatment and key negative outcomes in patients with bipolar disorder.

METHODS

For this systematic review and meta-analysis we searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase to identify articles published before Jan 1, 2015, examining the association of maltreatment (physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, neglect, or family conflict) before age 18 years with clinical features and course of illness in bipolar disorder. Data were extracted from published reports and any missing information was requested from investigators. We did 12 independent random-effects meta-analyses to quantify the associations between childhood maltreatment and course of illness or clinical features.

FINDINGS

We initially identified 527 records and after unsuitable studies were removed, our search yielded 148 publications of which 30 were used in the meta-analysis. Patients with bipolar disorder and history of childhood maltreatment had greater mania severity (six studies, 780 participants; odds ratio [OR] 2·02, 95% CI 1·21-3·39, p=0·008), greater depression severity (eight studies, 1007 participants; 1·57, 1·25-1·99, p=0·0001), greater psychosis severity (seven studies, 1494 participants; 1·49, 1·10-2·04, p=0·011), higher risk of comorbidity with post-traumatic stress disorder (eight studies, 2494 participants; 3·60, 2·45-5·30, p<0·0001), anxiety disorders (seven studies, 5091 participants; 1·90, 1·39-2·61, p<0·0001), substance misuse disorders (11 studies, 5469 participants; 1·84, 1·41-2·39, p<0·0001), alcohol misuse disorder (eight studies, 5040 participants; 1·44, 1·13-1·83, p=0·003), earlier age of bipolar disorder onset (14 studies, 5733 participants; 1·85, 1·43-2·40, p<0·0001), higher risk of rapid cycling (eight studies, 3010 participants; 1·89, 1·45-2·48, p<0·0001), greater number of manic episodes (seven studies, 3909 participants; 1·26, 1·09-1·47, p=0·003), greater number of depressive episodes (eight studies, 4025 participants; 1·38, 1·07-1·79, p=0·013), and higher risk of suicide attempt (13 studies, 3422 participants; 2·25, 1·88-2·70, p<0·0001) compared with those with bipolar disorder without childhood maltreatment. Overall, these associations were not explained by publication bias, undue effects of individual studies, or variation in study quality.

INTERPRETATION

Childhood maltreatment predicts unfavourable clinical features and course of illness in patients with bipolar disorder.

FUNDING

None.

Childhood maltreatment and comorbid anxiety in people with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Comorbid anxiety disorders and a history of childhood maltreatment are important determinants of outcome in bipolar disorder, but the relationship between these two factors is unclear.

METHODS

In 174 outpatients with bipolar disorder, we assessed history of childhood maltreatment with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and lifetime diagnosis of anxiety disorders with the M.I.N.I. International Neuropsychiatric Interview. We used ordinary logistic regressions to test associations between childhood maltreatment and the number of comorbid anxiety disorders, controlling for age, sex and the type of bipolar disorder.

RESULTS

Ninety (51.7%) participants had no anxiety disorder, 50 (28.7%) had one anxiety disorder and 34 (19.5%) had two or more anxiety disorders. Childhood maltreatment, indexed by a higher CTQ total score, was associated with more lifetime anxiety disorders (OR=1.5; 95% CI=1.01 to 2.14; p=0.04). Of the CTQ subscales, emotional abuse (OR=1.68; 95% CI=1.13 to 2.49; p=0.01) and physical abuse (OR=1.43; 95% CI=1.02 to 2.01; p=0.04) were associated with anxiety disorders. Of the anxiety disorders, panic disorder was most strongly associated with childhood maltreatment (OR=2.27; 95% CI=1.28 to 4.02; p=0.01).

LIMITATIONS

The study is limited by a moderate sample size and the retrospective assessment of childhood maltreatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to maltreatment in childhood is associated with comorbid anxiety disorders among individuals living with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder with comorbid anxiety may constitute a separate aetiological type with a greater contribution of early environment.

Discriminating Between Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder

Rates of misdiagnosis between major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder have been reported to be substantial, and the consequence of such misdiagnosis is likely to be a delay in achieving effective control of symptoms, in some cases spanning many years. Particularly in the midst of a depressive episode, or early in the illness course, it may be challenging to distinguish the 2 mood disorders purely on the basis of cross-sectional features. To date, no useful biological markers have been reliably shown to distinguish between bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.