Gender differences in the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder: a study of 7354 patients

Valproic Acid Causes Redox-Regulated Post-Translational Protein Modifications That Are Dependent upon P19 Cellular Differentiation States

Valproic acid (VPA) is a common anti-epileptic drug and known neurodevelopmental toxicant. Although the exact mechanism of VPA toxicity remains unknown, recent findings show that VPA disrupts redox signaling in undifferentiated cells but has little effect on fully differentiated neurons. Redox imbalances often alter oxidative post-translational protein modifications and could affect embryogenesis if developmentally critical proteins are targeted. We hypothesize that VPA causes redox-sensitive post-translational protein modifications that are dependent upon cellular differentiation states. Undifferentiated P19 cells and P19-derived neurons were treated with VPA alone or pretreated with D3T, an inducer of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) antioxidant pathway, prior to VPA exposure. Undifferentiated cells treated with VPA alone exhibited an oxidized glutathione redox couple and increased overall protein oxidation, whereas differentiated neurons were protected from protein oxidation via increased S-glutathionylation. Pretreatment with D3T prevented the effects of VPA exposure in undifferentiated cells. Taken together, our findings support redox-sensitive post-translational protein alterations in undifferentiated cells as a mechanism of VPA-induced developmental toxicity and propose NRF2 activation as a means to preserve proper neurogenesis.

International Trends in Lithium Use for Pharmacotherapy and Clinical Correlates in Bipolar Disorder: A Scoping Review

Lithium remains an effective option in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD). Thus, we aim to characterize the pharmaco-epidemiological patterns of lithium use internationally over time and elucidate clinical correlates associated with BD using a scoping review, which was conducted using the methodological framework by Arksey and O'Malley (2005). We searched several databases for studies that examined the prescriptions for lithium and clinical associations in BD from inception until December 2023. This review included 55 articles from 1967 to 2023, which collected data from North America (n = 24, 43.6%), Europe (n = 20, 36.4%), and Asia (n = 11, 20.0%). The overall prescription rates ranged from 3.3% to 84% (33.4% before and 30.6% after the median year cutoffs). Over time, there was a decline in lithium use in North America (27.7% before 2010 to 17.1% after 2010) and Europe (36.7% before 2003 to 35.7% after 2003), and a mild increase in Asia (25.0% before 2003 to 26.2% after 2003). Lithium use was associated with specific demographic (e.g., age, male gender) and clinical factors (e.g., lower suicide risk). Overall, we found a trend of declining lithium use internationally, particularly in the West. Specific clinical correlates can support clinical decision-making for continued lithium use.

Characterization of Psychiatric Inpatients: The Role of Gender Differences in Clinical and Pharmacological Patterns

BACKGROUND

Severe mental disorders that require hospitalization are disabling conditions that contribute to the burden of mental diseases. They pose increased clinical challenges and highlight the need to thoroughly explore variables emerging from daily clinical practice. In this study, we assessed to what extent gender differences may characterize a large population of psychiatric inpatients.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2 Italian teaching medical centers, which included 2358 patients who were consecutively admitted to the psychiatric emergency units. We explored and characterized gender differences for variables such as prevalence of psychiatric diagnosis, presence of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, age at onset of psychiatric illness, presence of substance or alcohol abuse, length of stay, number of hospitalizations, presence of involuntary admission, type of discharge from the hospital, and pharmacological treatment at discharge.

RESULTS

Female patients were primarily diagnosed with bipolar disorder or personality disorders. Female patients had a significantly higher prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts (23.1% vs. 16.5%, P<0.001) and a longer length of hospitalization (11.43±10.73 d vs. 10.52±10.37 d, t=-2.099, gl=2356, P=0.036) compared with male patients. Male patients had more involuntary admissions (25.1% vs. 19.7%, χ2=9.616, gl=1, P=0.002), more use of illicit substances (34.1% vs. 20.9%, χ2=51.084, gl=1, P<0.001), and higher rates of alcohol abuse (21.3% vs. 14.7%, χ2=17.182, gl=1, P<0.001) compared with female patients. Finally, antidepressants and lithium were prescribed more frequently to the female patients, whereas other mood stabilizers were more often prescribed to the male patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our real-world results highlighted gender differences among patients with severe mental disorders admitted to psychiatric units, and suggest further investigations that may help in understanding trajectories accompanying disabling clinical conditions.

The quality of mental health care for people with bipolar disorders in the Italian mental health system: the QUADIM project

BACKGROUND

The assessment of the quality of care pathways delivered to people with severe mental disorders in a community-based system remains uncommon, especially using healthcare utilization databases. The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of care provided to people with bipolar disorders taken-in-care by mental health services of four Italian areas (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, province of Palermo).

METHODS

Thirty-six quality indicators were implemented to assess quality of mental health care for patients with bipolar disorders, according to three dimensions (accessibility and appropriateness, continuity, and safety). Data were retrieved from healthcare utilization (HCU) databases, which contain data on mental health treatments, hospital admissions, outpatient interventions, laboratory tests and drug prescriptions.

RESULTS

29,242 prevalent and 752 incident cases taken-in-care by regional mental health services with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in 2015 were identified. Age-standardized treated prevalence rate was 16.2 (per 10,000 adult residents) and treated incidence rate 1.3. In the year of evaluation, 97% of prevalent cases had ≥ 1 outpatient/day-care contacts and 88% had ≥ 1 psychiatric visits. The median of outpatient/day-care contacts was 9.3 interventions per-year. Psychoeducation was provided to 3.5% of patients and psychotherapy to 11.5%, with low intensity. 63% prevalent cases were treated with antipsychotics, 71.5% with mood stabilizers, 46.6% with antidepressants. Appropriate laboratory tests were conducted in less than one-third of prevalent patients with a prescription of antipsychotics; three quarters of those with a prescription of lithium. Lower proportions were observed for incident patients. In prevalent patients, the Standardized Mortality Ratio was 1.35 (95% CI: 1.26-1.44): 1.18 (1.07-1.29) in females, 1.60 (1.45-1.77) in males. Heterogeneity across areas was considerable in both cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

We found a meaningful treatment gap in bipolar disorders in Italian mental health services, suggesting that the fact they are entirely community-based does not assure sufficient coverage by itself. Continuity of contacts was sufficient, but intensity of care was low, suggesting the risk of suboptimal treatment and low effectiveness. Care pathways were monitored and evaluated using administrative healthcare databases, adding evidence that such data may contribute to assess the quality of clinical pathways in mental health.

Association of premorbid intelligence with level of functioning and illness severity in bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder is a severe psychiatric syndrome defined by periodic mood shifts. Patients with bipolar disorder show cognitive impairments relative to healthy controls. The risk of developing schizophrenia, and partially also bipolar disorder, has previously been shown to increase with lower premorbid intelligence. It is not known if premorbid intelligence is associated with level of functioning and illness severity of people having developed bipolar disorder.

METHODS

We used multiple linear and ordinal regression to analyze how premorbid intelligence, as measured at conscription, associate with functional outcome and illness severity in Swedish male bipolar disorder patients (n = 788).

RESULTS

We found that lower premorbid intelligence is associated with lower percentage of time in work, after adjusting for age and bipolar subtype, and correcting for multiple comparisons. We also found a strong negative association with the total number of inpatient episodes and psychiatric comorbidity, but not with interepisodic remission, treatment with psychotherapy or lithium or the presence of any complicating socioeconomical factors. Adjusting for confounding genetic factors using polygenic risk scores for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia had no effect on the associations.

LIMITATIONS

This study lacks females and controls and may thus have lower generalizability.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, premorbid intelligence is associated with both level of functioning and illness severity as well as comorbidity in bipolar disorder patients. Further research is needed to develop targeted interventions for this subgroup of bipolar disorder patients.

Cardiometabolic and endocrine comorbidities in women with bipolar disorder: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is known to be equally distributed among males and females. The well-documented increased risk of medical comorbidities in patients with BD, in comparison to BD patients without medical comorbidities, shows a negative impact on the course of illness. There is some evidence suggesting that women with BD have higher psychiatric and medical comorbidities in comparison to men with BD, however there is no evidence in comparison to women without BD or other major psychiatric illness. These comorbidities, along with various psychosocial factors, are known to affect the course of BD.

METHODS

We aimed to systematically review the literature on cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine comorbidities in women with BD in comparison to men with BD and control women. A comprehensive search of electronic databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and SCOPUS was conducted, and a total of 61 identified studies were included in this review.

RESULTS

Women with BD had higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors/mortality, diabetes mellitus II and thyroid disorders compared to women in the general population. In comparison to men with BD, women with BD had comparable cardiovascular risk but higher prevalence of metabolic and thyroid disorders.

LIMITATIONS

Gender specific data was limited in multiple studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Results present a need for gender-specific screening and interventions for various medical comorbidities in patients with BD.

Effect of CYP2C19 polymorphisms on antidepressant prescription patterns and treatment emergent mania in bipolar disorder

Antidepressant medication is used extensively to treat bipolar depression despite uncertain efficacy. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 enzyme metabolize several antidepressants, and polymorphisms in the corresponding gene CYP2C19 influence plasma concentration and hence treatment outcomes in major depressive disorder. Here, we investigate if CYP2C19 polymorphisms are associated with antidepressant treatment patterns and the risk of mania when antidepressants are used in bipolar disorder. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs4244285 and rs12248560) were used to classify 5019 bipolar disorder patients into CYP2C19 metabolic phenotypes ranging from poor to ultra-rapid metabolizers. We used Swedish national registry data 2005-2017 on dispensed medications and inpatient care to estimate risks for early-treatment persistence, treatment discontinuation, switching to a new antidepressant medication, and mania within 3 months of treatment initiation in patients treated with citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline, amitriptyline, and clomipramine. Metabolic phenotypes of CYP2C19 were not robustly associated with the investigated treatment outcomes based on dispense patterns. Slower metabolism was associated with an increased risk of treatment emergent mania for sertraline (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.04-1.62, p = 0.02) and the tricyclic antidepressants amitriptyline and clomipramine (HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.05-2.02, p = 0.024). In a large study of the impact of CYP2C19 metabolic phenotypes on antidepressant treatment of bipolar depression, we found an association between slower CYP2C19 metabolism and higher risk of treatment emergent mania, which is a step towards personalized risk assessments. There were, however, no clear associations with early treatment persistence, treatment discontinuation, and switching to a new antidepressant.

Cohort profile: the Swedish National Quality Register for bipolar disorder(BipoläR)

PURPOSE

The Swedish National Quality Register for bipolar affective disorder, BipoläR, was established in 2004 to provide nationwide indicators for quality assessment and development in the clinical care of individuals with bipolar spectrum disorder. An ancillary aim was to provide data for bipolar disorder research.

PARTICIPANTS

Inclusion criteria for registration in BipoläR is a diagnosis of bipolar spectrum disorder (ICD codes: F25.0, F30.1-F30.2, F30.8-F31.9, F34.0) and treatment at an outpatient clinic in Sweden. BipoläR collects data from baseline and annual follow-up visits throughout Sweden. Data is collected using questionnaires administered by healthcare staff. The questions cover sociodemographic, diagnostic, treatment, outcomes and patient reported outcome variables. The register currently includes 39 583 individual patients with a total of 75 423 baseline and follow-up records.

FINDINGS TO DATE

Data from BipoläR has been used in several peer-reviewed publications. Studies have provided knowledge on effectiveness, side effects and use of pharmacological and psychological treatment in bipolar disorder. In addition, findings on the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, risk factors for attempted and completed suicide and health economics have been reported. The Swedish Bipolar Collection project has contributed to a large number of published studies and provides important information on the genetic architecture of bipolar disorder, the impact of genetic variation on disease characteristics and treatment outcome.

FUTURE PLANS

Data collection is ongoing with no fixed end date. Currently, approximately 5000 new registrations are added each year. Cohort data are available via a formalised request procedure from Centre of Registers Västra Götaland (e-mail: registercentrum@vgregion.se). Data requests for research purposes require an entity responsible for the research and an ethical approval.

Electroconvulsive therapy following incident bipolar disorder: When, how, and for whom?

OBJECTIVE

The use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD) remains poorly described. Based on data from Danish registries with complete nationwide coverage, this study of patients with incident BD aimed to describe when, how, and for whom ECT is used in the context of BD.

METHODS

We identified patients receiving their first diagnosis of BD in the period from 2008 to 2018, who subsequently received ECT. Descriptive statistics were used to clarify when, how, and for whom ECT is used.

RESULTS

We identified 1338 patients with incident BD who subsequently received ECT. The median age at the first ECT session was 50.6 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 26.4), and 62% of those treated with ECT were female. The median time from the diagnosis of BD to the first ECT treatment was 0.6 years (IQR: 2.6), and 58% of the patients receiving ECT had the first treatment within the first year after being diagnosed with BD. The most common indication for the first ECT treatment was depression (mainly non-psychotic depression), followed by mania (mainly psychotic mania). The first ECT session was typically provided to inpatients (97%), upon patient consent (98%) and with bilateral electrode placement (60%).

CONCLUSIONS

A substantial proportion of the patients with incident BD who receive ECT require this treatment within the first year after the diagnosis. The most common indication for ECT is depression followed by (psychotic) mania. Inpatient voluntary ECT using bilateral electrode placement is the most common form of administration.

Sex Differences in Oxycodone/Naloxone vs. Tapentadol in Chronic Non-Cancer Pain: An Observational Real-World Study

Despite the large body of research on sex differences in pain, there is a lack of translation to real-world pain management. Our aim was to analyse the sex differences in the analgesic response to oxycodone/naloxone (OXN) and tapentadol (TAP), in comparison with other opioids (OPO) commonly prescribed for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP). An observational and cross-sectional study was conducted on ambulatory CNCP patients (n = 571). Sociodemographic, clinical (pain intensity, relief, and quality of life), safety (adverse events (AEs), adverse drug reactions), hospital frequentations and pharmacological (morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD)) variables were collected. Multiple linear regressions were carried out to assess the association between sex and outcomes. Sex differences were observed, with lower female tolerability and higher hospital frequentation, especially in the OXN group (OR AEs report = 2.8 [1.8−4.4], p < 0.001). Here, females showed higher hospital use (23% hospital admission, 30% prescription change, p < 0.05), requiring a higher MEDD (127 ± 103 mg/day, p < 0.05), compared to OXN men. Regardless of the opioid group, CNCP women were significantly older than men (three years), with significantly higher benzodiazepine use (OR = 1.6 [1.1−2.3]), more constipation (OR = 1.34 [0.93−1.90]) and headache (OR = 1.45 [0.99−2.13]) AEs, than men who were more likely to refer sexual dysfunction (OR = 2.77 [1.53−5.01]), and loss of libido (OR = 1.93 [1.22−3.04]). Sex-differences were found related to poorer female drug tolerability and higher hospital resources, even worst in OXN female users. Other differences related to older female ages and benzodiazepine prescription, need to be further analysed from a gender perspective.

The low risk for early renal damage during lithium treatment has not changed over time

BACKGROUND

Modern lithium management guidelines were introduced to improve the renal prognosis of lithium patients.

AIMS

To examine whether prospects for severe renal impairment (defined as chronic kidney disease at least stage 4 (CKD4)), in long-term lithium patients, have changed over time after the introduction of lithium monitoring guidelines.

METHODS

The time to and hazard for CKD4 were compared between three patient cohorts who started long-term lithium in three consecutive decades: 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. The follow-up time was 10 years after completion of 1-year treatment. The data were collected from Sahlgrenska University Hospital's laboratory database.

RESULTS

In all, 2169 patients were included: 623 in Cohort 1 (started lithium during 1980s), 874 in Cohort 2 (1990s) and 672 in Cohort 3 (2000s). Compliance with lithium monitoring guidelines improved, and mean serum lithium decreased, through the cohorts. In all, 22 patients developed CKD4 during follow-up. The time to CKD4 was the same in all three cohorts (overall: 10.96 years, 95% confidence interval: 10.94-11 years). Age and serum creatinine concentration at start were significant risk factors, while sex had no prognostic value. After adjusting for the significant covariates, there was no statistically significant difference in the hazard for CKD4 between the three cohorts.

CONCLUSION

The risk for severe renal damage during the first decade of long-term lithium is low, but has not changed over time. Our data suggest that improved compliance with lithium guidelines is not reflected in less risk for severe renal damage.

Genetic and Epigenetic Markers of Lithium Response

The mood stabilizer lithium represents a cornerstone in the long term treatment of bipolar disorder (BD), although with substantial interindividual variability in clinical response. This variability appears to be modulated by genetics, which has been significantly investigated in the last two decades with some promising findings. In addition, recently, the interest in the role of epigenetics has grown significantly, since the exploration of these mechanisms might allow the elucidation of the gene–environment interactions and explanation of missing heritability. In this article, we provide an overview of the most relevant findings regarding the pharmacogenomics and pharmacoepigenomics of lithium response in BD. We describe the most replicated findings among candidate gene studies, results from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) as well as post-GWAS approaches supporting an association between high genetic load for schizophrenia, major depressive disorder or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and poor lithium response. Next, we describe results from studies investigating epigenetic mechanisms, such as changes in methylation or noncoding RNA levels, which play a relevant role as regulators of gene expression. Finally, we discuss challenges related to the search for the molecular determinants of lithium response and potential future research directions to pave the path towards a biomarker guided approach in lithium treatment.

Sex Differences in Bipolar Disorders: Impact on Psychopathological Features and Treatment Response

INTRODUCTION

Sex differences were demonstrated in bipolar disorders (BD) concerning epidemiological, clinical, and psychopathological characteristics, but consensus is lacking. Moreover, data concerning the influence of sex on treatment response in BD is contrasting. The present cross-sectional study aimed to analyze sex differences in a population of BD subjects, with specific focus on psychopathological features and treatment response.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Subjects diagnosed with BD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th version (DSM-5) were recruited. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Mania Rating Scale (MRS), the brief version of the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa and San Diego-Münster version (briefTEMPS-M), and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 items (BIS-11) were used for psychopathological assessment. Treatment response was appraised with the Alda Scale. We performed bivariate analyses to compare socio-demographic, clinical, and psychopathological characteristics between men and women (p < 0.05). A logistic regression was run to analyze features that were significantly associated with female sex.

RESULTS

Among the recruited 219 BD subjects, 119 (54.3%) were females. Women had a lower scholarity (p = 0.015) and were less frequently employed (p = 0.001). As for psychopathological features, a higher MRS total score (p < 0.001) was detected among women, as well as higher BIS-11 total score (p = 0.040), and briefTEMPS-M score for anxious temperament (p = 0.006). Men showed higher prevalence of DSM-5 mixed features (p = 0.025), particularly during a depressive episode (p = 0.014). Women reported longer duration of untreated illness (DUI) (p < 0.001). There were no sex differences in the Alda Scale total score when considering the whole sample, but this was significantly higher among men (p = 0.030) when evaluating subjects treated with anticonvulsants. At the logistic regression, female sex was positively associated with longer DUI (p < 0.001; OR 1.106, 95% CI 1.050-1.165) and higher MRS total score (p < 0.001; OR 1.085, 95% CI 1.044-1.128) and negatively associated with employment (p = 0.003; OR 0.359, 95% CI 0.185-0.698) and DSM-5 mixed features (p = 0.006; OR 0.391, 95% CI 0.200-0.762).

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical presentation of BD may differ depending on sex. The severity of BD should not be neglected among women, who may also display worse treatment response to anticonvulsants.

Sex differences in pharmacological treatment of major depressive disorder: results from the AMSP pharmacovigilance program from 2001 to 2017

Data on drug prescription for outpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD) suggest women are more likely to be treated with psychotropic drugs, while data on sex differences regarding pharmacological treatment of psychiatric inpatients are currently not available. Drug utilization data from the program "Drug Safety in Psychiatry" (German: Arzneimittelsicherheit in der Psychiatrie, AMSP) of 44,418 psychiatric inpatients with MDD were analyzed for sex differences between 2001 and 2017. Sex differences were analyzed using relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Time trends were analyzed by comparing the first (2001-2003) with the last time period (2015-2017). In general, men and women were equally likely to use psychotropic drugs. Monotherapy was more common in men. Women were more likely to utilize ≥ 4 psychotropic drugs. Antidepressant drugs (ADDs) were the most prescribed drug class. Men had a higher utilization of noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants (RR 1.15; 95% CI 1.12-1.19), especially mirtazapine (RR 1.16; 95% CI 1.12-1.19), but also of other ADDs such as bupropion (RR 1.50; 95% CI 1.35-1.68). Males had a slightly higher utilization of second-generation antipsychotic drugs (RR 1.06; 95% CI 1.03-1.09) and were less often treated with low-potency first-generation antipsychotic drugs (RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.83-0.90). Tranquilizing (e.g., benzodiazepines; RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.86-0.92) and hypnotic drugs (e.g., Z-drugs; RR 0.85; 95% CI 0.81-0.89) were less utilized in the treatment of male patients. Not all sex differences were stable over time. More sex differences were detectable in 2015-2017 than in 2001-2003. Findings suggest that certain psychotropic drugs are preferred in the treatment of men vs. women, however, sex differences found in this study are not as large as in ambulatory settings. To make evidence-based sex-specific recommendations in the treatment of MDD, differences in drug response and tolerability need to be further researched.

Patient educational level and management of bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic factors can affect healthcare management.

AIMS

The aim was to investigate if patient educational attainment is associated with management of bipolar disorder.

METHOD

We included patients with bipolar disorder type 1 (n = 4289), type 2 (n = 4020) and not otherwise specified (n = 1756), from the Swedish National Quality Register for Bipolar Disorder (BipoläR). The association between patients' educational level and pharmacological and psychological interventions was analysed by binary logistic regression. We calculated odds ratios after adjusting for demographic and clinical variables.

RESULTS

Higher education was associated with increased likelihood of receiving psychotherapy (adjusted odds ratio 1.34, 95% CI 91.22-1.46) and psychoeducation (adjusted odds ratio 1.18, 95% CI 1.07-1.46), but with lower likelihood of receiving first-generation antipsychotics (adjusted odds ratio 0.76, 95% CI 0.62-0.94) and tricyclic antidepressants (adjusted odds ratio 0.76, 95% CI 0.59-0.97). Higher education was also associated with lower risk for compulsory in-patient care (adjusted odds ratio 0.79, 95% CI 0.67-0.93).

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacological and psychological treatment of bipolar disorder differ depending on patients' educational attainment. The reasons for these disparities remain to be explained.

Gender differences of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in bipolar disorder: A resting state fMRI study

BACKGROUND

The clinical and epidemiological features of bipolar disorder (BD) between females and males have many differences. The association between brain function and gender in BD is unknown. This research aimed to investigate the association between brain function and gender in BD by using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFFs).

METHODS

Ninety-eight patients (49 females and 49 males) with BD and 171 matched healthy controls (HCs, 89 females and 82 males) were recruited for resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. ALFF was used to estimate brain function.

RESULTS

A main effect of diagnosis in ALFF was observed in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), ventral prefrontal cortex (VPFC), caudate and occipital lobe. A main effect of gender in ALFF was found in the right VPFC, DLPFC, thalamus, and occipital lobe. A main effect of diagnosis gender interaction in ALFF was observed in the left DLPFC. Analyses of two-sample t-test indicated that male patients with BD had increased ALFF in the right hippocampus, right amygdala, left caudate, and left DLPFC, and decreased ALFF in the occipital lobe compared with male HC. Female patients with BD demonstrated increased ALFF in the right VPFC and right DLPFC compared with female HC. Male patients with BD exhibited increased ALFF in the right VPFC and left DLPFC and decreased ALFF in the occipital lobe compared with female patients with BD.

LIMITATIONS

This study did not consider the effect of medications and emotional states on brain activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggested gender differences in the dysfunctions of the cortico-limbic neural system in BD.

Gender-specific approach in psychiatric diseases: Because sex matters

In both animals and human beings, males and females differ in their genetic background and hormonally driven behaviour and show sex-related differences in brain activity and response to internal and external stimuli. Gender-specific medicine has been a neglected dimension of medicine for long time, and only in the last three decades it is receiving the due scientific and clinical attention. Research has recently begun to identify factors that could provide a neurobiological basis for gender-based differences in health and disease and to point to gonadal hormones as important determinants of male-female differences. Animal studies have been of great help in understanding factors contributing to sex-dependent differences and sex hormones action. Here we review and discuss evidence provided by clinical and animal studies in the last two decades showing gender (in humans) and sex (in animals) differences in selected psychiatric disorders, namely eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder), schizophrenia, mood disorders (anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder) and neurodevelopmental disorders (autism spectrum disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).

Has Bipolar Disorder become a predominantly female gender related condition? Analysis of recently published large sample studies

Bipolar Disorders (BD) are disabling and severe psychiatric disorders, commonly perceived as equally affecting both men and women. The prevalence of BD in the general population has been growing over the last decade, however, few epidemiological studies are available regarding BD gender distribution, leaving unanswered the question whether the often reported increment of BD diagnosis could be gender specific. In fact, BD in female patients can often be misdiagnosed as MDD, leaving such women non correctly treated for longer times than their male counterparts. From this perspective, we searched literature for large sample (> 1000 subjects) studies published in the last decade (2010 onward) on BD patients. We included ten large sample studies that reported the gender distribution of their samples, and we therefore analysed them. Our results show a higher preponderance of female patients in every sample and sub-sample of BDI and BDII, supporting our hypothesis of an increase in BD diagnosis in females. BD in women presents with higher rates of rapid cycling, depressive polarity and suicide attempts, characteristics of non inferior severity compared to males; prompt recognition and adequate treatment of BD is therefore crucial to reduce risks and improve quality of life of affected women. In this regard, our results could lead the way for national or international epidemiological studies with the aim of more accurately assessing gender-specific prevalence of BD.

Antidepressant effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is not impaired by intake of lithium or antiepileptic drugs

INTRODUCTION

The effect of concomitant medication on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) outcomes in depression remains understudied. Recent analyses show attenuation of rTMS effects by antipsychotic medication and benzodiazepines, but data on the effects of antiepileptic drugs and lithium used as mood stabilizers or augmenting agents are sparse despite clinical relevance. Preclinical electrophysiological studies suggest relevant impact of the medication on treatment, but this might not translate into clinical practice. We aimed to investigate the role of lithium (Li), lamotrigine (LTG) and valproic acid (VPA) by analyzing rTMS treatment outcomes in depressed patients.

METHODS

299 patients with uni- and bipolar depression treated with rTMS were selected for analysis in respect to intake of lithium, lamotrigine and valproic acid. The majority (n = 251) were treated with high-frequency (10-20 Hz) rTMS of the lDLPFC for an average of 17 treatment sessions with a figure-of-8 coil with a MagVenture system aiming for 110% resting motor threshold, and smaller groups of patients were being treated with other protocols including intermittent theta-burst stimulation and bilateral prefrontal and medial prefrontal protocols. For group comparisons, we used analysis of variance with the between-subjects factor group or Chi-Square Test of Independence depending on the scales of measurement. For post-hoc tests, we used least significant difference (LSD). For differences in treatment effects between groups, we used an ANOVA with the between-subjects factor group (groups: no mood stabilizer, Li, LTG, VPA, Li + LTG) the within-subjects factor treatment (pre vs. post treatment with rTMS) and also Chi-Square Tests of independence for response and remission.

RESULTS

Overall, patients showed an amelioration of symptoms with no significant differences for the main effect of group and for the interaction effect treatment by group. Based on direct comparisons between the single groups taking mood stabilizers against the group taking no mood stabilizers, we see a superior effect of lamotrigine, valproic acid and combination of lithium and lamotrigine for the response and remission rates. Motor threshold was significantly and markedly higher for patients taking valproic acid.

CONCLUSION

Being treated with lithium, lamotrigine and valproic acid had no relevant influence on rTMS treatment outcome. The results suggest there is no reason for clinicians to withhold or withdraw these types of medication from patients who are about to undergo a course of rTMS. Prospective controlled work on the subject is encouraged.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcultural Validation of Group-Based Psychosocial Intervention for Patients with Bipolar Disorder

Adjunctive psychosocial interventions are part of the preferred method to treat bipolar disorder (BD). This study aimed to conduct a randomized control and protocol-guided trial, in order to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of adjunctive group-based treatments for Chinese outpatients with BD. A single-blind trial in which 68 outpatients with BD were randomly assigned to either treatment as usual (TAU) or to an experimental group with 12 additional weekly sessions and 3 monthly booster sessions. Participants were assessed at baseline for mood condition, suicidal ideation, medication adherence, and quality of life (QoL), with follow-up assessments every 3 months over a 1-year period. The overall retention rate of this study was 89.7%. The results showed significant differences between groups for the variables evaluated, which included achieving euthymia, decrease of depression symptoms, and improvement of QoL. No improvements in medication adherence, reduction in manic symptoms, or suicidal ideation was observed. The results of this study support the transcultural validity and efficacy of group-based psychosocial intervention as anadjunct to TAU among Chinese outpatients with BD to promote improvements during the course of the illness including achieving euthymia, reducing depressive symptoms, and improving QoL.

Psychoeducation for bipolar disorder and risk of recurrence and hospitalization - a within-individual analysis using registry data

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of psychoeducation for bipolar disorder has been demonstrated in clinical trials, but it is not known if the results translate into effectiveness in routine clinical practice. The aim was to determine the effectiveness of psychoeducation for bipolar disorder in a routine clinical setting.

METHOD

We identified 2819 patients with at least three registrations in the Swedish Quality Assurance Register for Bipolar Disorder. Among those, 402 had not been exposed to psychoeducation at the first visit, but received psychoeducation during any of the following registrations. Using within-individual analyses, the risk of recurrence after having received psychoeducation was compared with the risk prior to psychoeducation.

RESULTS

In adjusted within-individuals comparisons, periods after psychoeducation was associated with decreased risks of any recurrence [odds ratio (OR) 0.57, 95% CI 0.42-0.78], (hypo-)manic or mixed episodes (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.39-0.76), depressive episodes (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.47-0.86), and inpatient care (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.33-0.86) relative to periods prior to psychoeducation. There was no association with rates of involuntary sectioning or suicide attempts.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that psychoeducation for bipolar disorder reduces the risk of mood episodes and inpatient care also when implemented in routine clinical practice.

Examining the underpinnings of loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials with positron emission tomography

Loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP) has long been considered to reflect central basal serotonin transmission. However, the relationship between LDAEP and individual serotonin receptors and transporters has not been fully explored in humans and may involve other neurotransmitter systems. To examine LDAEP's relationship with the serotonin system, we performed PET using serotonin-1A (5-HT_1A) imaging via [¹¹C]CUMI-101 and serotonin transporter (5-HTT) imaging via [¹¹C]DASB on a mixed sample of healthy controls (n ​= ​4: 4 females, 0 males), patients with unipolar (MDD, n ​= ​11: 4 females, 7 males) and bipolar depression (BD, n ​= ​8: 4 females, 4 males). On these same participants, we also performed electroencephalography (EEG) within a week of PET scanning, using 1000 ​Hz tones of varying intensity to evoke LDAEP. We then evaluated the relationship between LDAEP and 5-HT_1A or 5-HTT binding in both the raphe (5-HT_1A)/midbrain (5-HTT) areas and in the temporal cortex. We found that LDAEP was significantly correlated with 5-HT_1A positively and with 5-HTT negatively in the temporal cortex (p ​< ​0.05), but not correlated with either in midbrain or raphe. In males only, exploratory analysis showed multiple regions in which LDAEP significantly correlated with 5-HT_1A throughout the brain; we did not find this with 5-HTT. This multimodal study partially validates preclinical models of a serotonergic influence on LDAEP. Replication in larger samples is necessary to further clarify our understanding of the role of serotonin in perception of auditory tones.

Comparison of Genetic Liability for Sleep Traits Among Individuals With Bipolar Disorder I or II and Control Participants

IMPORTANCE

Insomnia, hypersomnia, and an evening chronotype are common in individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), but whether this reflects shared genetic liability is unclear. Stratifying by BD subtypes could elucidate this association and inform sleep and BD research.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for sleep traits are associated with BD subtypes I and II.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This case-control study was conducted in the United Kingdom and Sweden with participants with BD and control participants. Multinomial regression was used to assess whether PRSs for insomnia, daytime sleepiness, sleep duration, and chronotype are associated with BD subtypes compared with control participants. Affected individuals were recruited from the Bipolar Disorder Research Network. Control participants were recruited from the 1958 British Birth Cohort and the UK Blood Service. Analyses were repeated in an independent Swedish sample from August 2018 to July 2019. All participants were of European ancestry.

EXPOSURES

Standardized PRSs derived using alleles from genome-wide association studies of insomnia, sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, and chronotype. These were adjusted for the first 10 population principal components, genotyping platforms, and sex.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Association of PRSs with BD subtypes, determined by semistructured psychiatric interview and case notes.

RESULTS

The main analysis included 4672 participants with BD (3132 female participants [67.0%]; 3404 with BD-I [72.9%]) and 5714 control participants (2812 female participants [49.2%]). Insomnia PRS was associated with increased risk of BD-II (relative risk [RR], 1.14 [95% CI, 1.07-1.21]; P = 8.26 × 10-5) but not BD-I (RR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.94-1.03]; P = .409) relative to control participants. Sleep-duration PRS was associated with BD-I (RR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.06-1.15]; P = 1.13 × 10-5) but not BD-II (RR, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.93-1.06]; P = .818). Associations between (1) insomnia PRS and BD-II and (2) sleep-duration PRS and BD-I were replicated in the Swedish sample of 4366 individuals with BD (2697 female participants [61.8%]; 2627 with BD-I [60.2%]) and 6091 control participants (3767 female participants [61.8%]). Chronotype and daytime-sleepiness PRS were not associated with BD subtypes.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Per this analysis, BD subtypes differ in genetic liability to insomnia and hypersomnia, providing further evidence that the distinction between BD-I and BD-II has genetic validity. This distinction will be crucial in selecting participants for future research on the role of sleep disturbance in BD.

Sex difference in the progression of manic symptoms during acute hospitalization: A prospective pilot study

OBJECTIVES

Acute mania is a serious medical condition that impacts men and women equally. Longtime presentation of manic symptoms is sex-dependent; however, little is known about acute symptoms of mania. The objective of this study is to track and compare acute manic symptoms for sex differences during inpatient hospitalization.

METHODS

All patients with bipolar mania admitted to a large university hospital between January and October 2017 were invited to participate in this longitudinal naturalistic follow-up study. Manic (YMRS), depressive (MADRS), and psychotic (PAS) symptoms were tracked daily from admission to discharge.

RESULTS

The total YMRS scores decreased significantly overtime (p < .0001) in both male (n = 34) and female (n = 23) patients (p = .7). However, male patients scored significantly higher in sexual interest (p = .01), disruptive and aggressive behavior (p = .01), and appearance (p < .001) while females had better insight into their illness (p = .01). Males and females received similar doses of lithium (p = .1), but males received significantly higher doses of valproic acid (VPA) in comparison with females (p = .003). However, plasma lithium and VPA concentrations at discharge were not significantly different between sexes.

CONCLUSION

Our results show sex differences in the progression of certain domains of manic symptoms in a cohort of 23 female and 34 male patients admitted to a large academic center in Turkey. Males, in this sample, exhibited more sexual interest, disruptive and aggressive behaviors, better grooming, and less insight compared to females. While these results are concordant with our preclinical findings and with anecdotal clinical observations, replication in larger samples is needed.

Exploring factors of diagnostic delay for patients with bipolar disorder: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder if untreated, has severe consequences: severe role impairment, higher health care costs, mortality and morbidity. Although effective treatment is available, the delay in diagnosis might be as long as 10-15 years. In this study, we aim at documenting the length of the diagnostic delay in Hungary and identifying factors associated with it.

METHODS

Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards model was employed to examine factors associated with the time to diagnosis of bipolar disorder measured from the date of the first presentation to any specialist mental healthcare institution. We investigated three types of factors associated with delays to diagnosis: demographic characteristics, clinical predictors and patient pathways (temporal sequence of key clinical milestones). Administrative data were retrieved from specialist care; the population-based cohort includes 8935 patients from Hungary.

RESULTS

In the sample, diagnostic delay was 6.46 years on average. The mean age of patients at the time of the first bipolar diagnosis was 43.59 years. 11.85% of patients were diagnosed with bipolar disorder without any delay, and slightly more than one-third of the patients (35.10%) were never hospitalized with mental health problems. 88.80% of the patients contacted psychiatric care for the first time in outpatient settings, while 11% in inpatient care. Diagnostic delay was shorter, if patients were diagnosed with bipolar disorder by non-specialist mental health professionals before. In contrast, diagnoses of many psychiatric disorders received after the first contact were coupled with a delayed bipolar diagnosis. We found empirical evidence that in both outpatient and inpatient care prior diagnoses of schizophrenia, unipolar depression without psychotic symptoms, and several disorders of adult personality were associated with increased diagnostic delay. Patient pathways played an important role as well: the hazard of delayed diagnosis increased if patients consulted mental healthcare specialists in outpatient care first or they were hospitalized.

CONCLUSIONS

We systematically described and analysed the diagnosis of bipolar patients in Hungary controlling for possible confounders. Our focus was more on clinical variables as opposed to factors controllable by policy-makers. To formulate policy-relevant recommendations, a more detailed analysis of care pathways and continuity is needed.

Sex-Specific Associations Between Bipolar Disorder Pharmacological Maintenance Therapies and Inpatient Rehospitalizations: A 9-Year Swedish National Registry Study

Background: Long-term pharmacological maintenance therapy is often essential among people with bipolar disorder to reduce the need for inpatient care. Sex-specific responses to maintenance therapies are expected but remain largely unknown. Here, we examined for sex-specific associations between common maintenance therapies for bipolar disorder with inpatient rehospitalizations following patients' index discharges during 2006-2014. Methods: Population-based data on maintenance therapies and rehospitalizations were extracted from Swedish national registries. We adopted the within-individual design to compare the time on- vs. off- maintenance therapy for males and females, respectively. Extended stratified Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to quantify the rate of rehospitalization as a function of common maintenance drugs and other important time-varying control variables. Results: Our primary analysis included 22,681 bipolar disorder rehospitalizations by 6,400 males and 9,588 (60.0%) females over an observation time of 62,813 person-years. The time spent on- vs. off- maintenance lithium, lamotrigine, quetiapine, or olanzapine was statistically significant upon adjustment among either sex for reducing the rate of bipolar rehospitalizations. Adjusted sex-specific statistically significant associations were also observed. Among females, the time on- (vs. off-) long-acting injectable risperidone reduced the rate of bipolar rehospitalizations by 73% (56-84%), carbamazepine by 44% (18-62%), aripiprazole by 29% (13-42%), and valproate by 23% (11-33%); whereas among males, ziprasidone by 65% (41-79%). Conclusion: The effectiveness of most maintenance therapies is generally comparable and uniform among both males and females. Despite some statistically significant sex-specific associations, estimates for each drug were fairly consistent between sexes.

Gender-related differences in patients with bipolar disorder: a nationwide study

OBJECTIVE

The possible presence of gender-related differences in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) may have diagnostic and therapeutic implications. This multicenter study aimed to investigate gender differences in BD in the largest Italian database collected to date, on behalf of the Italian Chapter of the International Society of Bipolar Disorders.

METHODS

A total of 1674 patients (males: n = 714; females: n = 960) from different psychiatric departments were compared according to gender on demographic/clinical variables. Owing to the large number of variables statistically related to the dependent variable (gender) at the univariate analyses, preliminary multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. A final multivariable logistic regression was then performed, considering gender as the dependent variable and statistically significant demographic/clinical characteristics as independent variables.

RESULTS

The results of the final multivariable logistic regression analysis with previous statistically significant demographic and clinical variables were the following: female gender was less frequently associated with employment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.7, P < 0.01), lifetime single marital status (OR = 0.45, P < 0.01), and substance abuse in the last year (OR = 0.35, P < 0.01), whereas it was more frequently associated with a major number of lifetime major depressive episodes (OR = 1.78, P < 0.01) and psychiatric visits in the last year (OR = 1.38, P = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Few significant differences were found between genders in BD, particularly for those clinical features that are associated with poor prognosis (substance abuse for males and number of depressive episodes for females). Transcultural studies are needed to identify cultural versus illness-related variables possibly explaining the different clinical presentation of BD in relation to gender.

Clinical course and need for hospital admission after lithium discontinuation in patients with bipolar disorder type I or II: mirror-image study based on the LiSIE retrospective cohort

BACKGROUND

Currently, the evidence for lithium as a maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder type II (BD-II) remains limited. Guidelines commonly extrapolate recommendations for BD-II from available evidence for bipolar disorder type I (BD-I). Comparing the impact of lithium discontinuation is one way of assessing effectiveness in both groups.

AIMS

To compare the impact of lithium discontinuation on hospital admissions and self-harm in patients with BD-I or schizoaffective disorder (SZD) and patients with BD-II or other bipolar disorder.

METHOD

Mirror-image study, examining hospital admissions within 2 years before and after lithium discontinuation in both patient groups. This study was part of a retrospective cohort study (LiSIE) into effects and side-effects of lithium for maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder as compared with other mood stabilisers.

RESULTS

For the whole sample, the mean number of admissions/patient/review period doubled from 0.44 to 0.95 (P<0.001) after lithium discontinuation. The mean number of bed days/patient/review period doubled from 11 to 22 (P = 0.025). This increase in admissions and bed days was exclusively attributable to patients with BD-I/SZD. Not having consulted with a doctor prior to lithium discontinuation or no treatment with an alternative mood stabiliser at the time of lithium discontinuation led to more admissions.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher relapse risk in patients with BD-I/SZD suggests a higher threshold for discontinuing lithium than for patients with BD-II/other bipolar disorder. In patients with BD-II/other bipolar disorder, however, judged on the impact of discontinuation alone, lithium did not appear to prevent more severe depressive episodes requiring hospital admission.

Sex differences in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder: Are gonadal hormones the link?

In this review, we describe the sex differences in prevalence, onset, symptom profiles, and disease outcome that are evident in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Women with schizophrenia tend to exhibit less disease impairment than men. By contrast, women with post-traumatic stress disorder are more affected than men. The most likely candidates to explain these sex differences are gonadal hormones. This review details the clinical evidence that oestradiol and progesterone are dysregulated in these psychiatric disorders. Notably, existing data on oestradiol, and to a lesser extent, progesterone, suggest that low levels of these hormones may increase the risk of disease development and worsen symptom severity. We argue that future studies require a more inclusive, considered analysis of gonadal steroid hormones and the intricacies of the interactions between them, with methodological rigour applied, to enhance our understanding of the roles of steroid hormones in psychiatric disorders. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on The Importance of Sex Differences in Pharmacology Research. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.21/issuetoc.

Cognitive impairment in late life bipolar disorder: Risk factors and clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND

Late Life Bipolar Disorder (LLBD) is associated with a high prevalence of cognitive impairments, but few studies have examined their risk factors and clinical correlates METHODS: Participants with bipolar disorder older than 60 (n = 86) were recruited from psychiatric outpatient and inpatients units. Patients were assessed with various instruments, including the Clinical Dementia Rating scale, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale. The distribution of disorder-specific and general risk factors was compared between patients with LLBD plus cognitive impairments (mild cognitive impairment or dementia) and those with LLBD but no cognitive impairment. Analyses were first conducted at the bivariate level, then using multiple regression. The association with disability, aggressive behavior and suicidal ideation was also explored.

RESULTS

Cognitive impairments in LLBD were associated with a diagnosis of type 1 bipolar disorder (OR = 6.40, 95%CI: 1.84 - 22.31, p = 0.004), fewer years of education (OR = 0.79, 95%CI: 0.69 - 0.91, p = 0.001) and higher severity of physical diseases (OR 26.54, 95%CI: 2.07 - 340.37, p = 0.01). Moreover, cognitive impairments were associated with an increased likelihood of disability and recent aggressive behavior, but not suicidal ideation.

LIMITATIONS

retrospective design, conflation of MCI and dementia, not all subjects were in euthymia CONCLUSIONS: In LLBD, the presence of cognitive impairments was associated with a diagnosis of type I bipolar disorder, lower education and more severe physical comorbidities. In turn, MCI or dementia were associated with increased disability and aggressive behavior. These findings may aid the identification of patients at risk for cognitive deterioration in everyday clinical practice.

Genes, biomarkers, and clinical features associated with the course of bipolar disorder

There is considerable variability in the severity of bipolar disorder, e.g., in terms of the frequency of inpatient episodes. The long-term progression also differs, where some patients are sensitised with progressively shorter healthy intervals. Little is known about the proportion of patients being sensitised, their clinical characteristics, and biological underpinnings. We analysed long-term progression of bipolar disorder in relation to clinical characteristics (N = 3074), serum biomarkers (N = 745), and genetic variants (N = 1401) in a cohort of Swedish bipolar disorder patients. We took advantage of the National Patient Register, providing reliable data on 35,973 psychiatric inpatient care episodes in Sweden since 1973. First, one third of the cohort cluster together with a maximum of one inpatient episode per year, while the remaining two thirds had >1 episode per year. These groups did not differ with respect to clinical features or biomarkers. Second, among patients with at least five inpatient episodes (defined as severely ill), we find one group with progressively shorter cycle-lengths (one fifth of the total cohort, N = 550). Compared with those with a stable or recuperant trajectory, these patients featured lower functioning, more antidepressant treatment, as well as reduced levels of inflammatory markers in serum. Third, sensitisation was associated with a common genetic variant near the calcium channel gene CACNA2D3 at genome-wide significance. These results suggest the potential for translational research aimed at preventive actions.

Gender influence on the bipolar disorder inpatient length of stay in Sweden, 2005-2014: A register-based study

BACKGROUND

The influence of gender on bipolar disorder is controversial and it is unclear if inpatient care differs between men and women. Here, we investigate for gender differences in the inpatient length of stay for Swedes admitted for bipolar disorder and explore other factors that could explain any observed association.

METHODS

Admission data were extracted from the Swedish National Patient Register and included all patients first admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit with a bipolar disorder diagnosis, circa 2005-2014. Patients were then retrospectively followed for subsequent hospitalizations. Diagnostic subtypes were categorized by ICD-10 clusters: depressive, depressive with psychotic features, manic, manic with psychotic features, mixed, and other. Psychotropic therapies preceding the corresponding admissions were attained from the Prescribed Drug Register. Mixed-effects zero-truncated negative binomial regressions were employed to model the length of stay per admission.

RESULTS

Analysis included 39,653 admissions by 16,271 inpatients (60.0% women). Overall, when compared to men, women spent 7.5% (95% CI: 4.2-11.0%, p < 0.001) extra days hospitalized per admission. However, upon adjusting for candidate confounders, including the bipolar subtype, and selected comorbidities and psychotropics, the association weakened wherein women then spent 3.7% (95% CI: 0.1-6.9%, p = 0.028) extra days hospitalized per admission.

LIMITATIONS

The integrity of register data can be variable and the adherence to outpatient dispensed psychotropics could not be validated.

CONCLUSION

Although the influence of gender on the bipolar disorder inpatient length of stay is evident, other factors attenuate and better explain this crude observation.

Women's Psychiatry

Brain disorders and mental diseases, in particular, are common and considered as a top global health challenge for the twenty-first century. Interestingly, women suffer more frequently from mental disorders than men. Moreover, women may respond to psychotropic drugs differently than men, and, through their lifespan, they endure sex-orientated social stressors. In this chapter, we present how women may differ in the development and manifestation of mental health issues and how they differ from men in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. We discuss issues in clinical trials regarding women participation, issues in the use of psychotropic medications in pregnancy, and challenges that psychiatry faces as a result of the wider use of contraceptives, of childbearing at older age, and of menopause. Such issues, among others, demand further women-oriented psychiatric research that can improve the care for women during the course of their lives. Indeed, despite all these known sex differences, psychiatry for both men and women patients uses the same approach. Thereby, a modified paradigm for women's psychiatry, which takes into account all these differences, emerges as a necessity, and psychiatric research should take more vigorously into account sex differences.

[Use and misuse of benzodiazepines in patients with psychiatric disorders]

The psychiatric patients are not only particularly exposed to benzodiazepines; they may also be more vulnerable to their side effects than general population. Benzodiazepines are frequently misused in psychiatric patients in terms of duration, dose and number of concomitant medications. There is no evidence that benzodiazepines are effective against most psychiatric disorders, including depression and suicidal risk. Several studies have shown associations between benzodiazepine use and depression worsening, increased disinhibition, suicide risk, anxiety, aggression, and even mortality in patients with psychiatric disorders. Despite the common use of benzodiazepine drugs by clinicians, large and methodologically sound studies are lacking to document the patterns of benzodiazepine use in populations with psychiatric disorders and their specific risks in these patients. It is not known whether it is legitimate to apply the good practice recommendations for benzodiazepines in patients with severe psychiatric disorders.

Prevalences of autoimmune diseases in schizophrenia, bipolar I and II disorder, and controls

Previous studies on the relationship between autoimmune diseases, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are mainly based on hospital discharge registers with insufficient coverage of outpatient data. Furthermore, data is scant on the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in bipolar subgroups. Here we estimate the self-reported prevalences of autoimmune diseases in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder type I and II, and controls. Lifetime prevalence of autoimmune diseases was assessed through a structured interview in a sample of 9076 patients (schizophrenia N = 5278, bipolar disorder type I N = 1952, type II N = 1846) and 6485 controls. Comparative analyses were performed using logistic regressions. The prevalence of diabetes type 1 did not differ between groups. Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism regardless of lithium effects, rheumatoid arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica were most common in bipolar disorder. Systemic lupus erythematosus was less common in bipolar disorder than in the other groups. The rate of autoimmune diseases did not differ significantly between bipolar subgroups. We conclude that prevalences of autoimmune diseases show clear differences between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but not between the bipolar subgroups.

Markers of neuroinflammation and neuronal injury in bipolar disorder: Relation to prospective clinical outcomes

Neuroimmune mechanisms have been linked to the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder based on studies of biomarkers in plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and postmortem brain tissue. There are, however, no longitudinal studies investigating if CSF markers of neuroinflammation and neuronal injury predict clinical outcomes in patients with bipolar disorder. We have in previous studies found higher CSF concentrations of interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1/CCL-2), chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1/YKL-40), and neurofilament light chain (NF-L) in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder compared with controls. Here, we investigated the relationship of these CSF markers of neuroinflammation and neuronal injury with clinical outcomes in a prospective study. 77 patients with CSF analyzed at baseline were followed for 6-7years. Associations of baseline biomarkers with clinical outcomes (manic/hypomanic and depressive episodes, suicide attempts, psychotic symptoms, inpatient care, GAF score change) were investigated. Baseline MCP-1 concentrations were positively associated with manic/hypomanic episodes and inpatient care during follow-up. YKL-40 concentrations were negatively associated with manic/hypomanic episodes and with occurrence of psychotic symptoms. The prospective negative association between YKL-40 and manic/hypomanic episodes survived multiple testing correction. Concentrations of IL-8 and NF-L were not associated with clinical outcomes. High concentrations of these selected CSF markers of neuroinflammation and neuronal injury at baseline were not consistently associated with poor clinical outcomes in this prospective study. The assessed proteins may be involved in adaptive immune processes or reflect a state of vulnerability for bipolar disorder rather than being of predictive value for disease progression.

Valproic Acid in Women and Girls of Childbearing Age

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this paper is to evaluate recent literature on valproic acid (VPA) in women and girls of childbearing age and to emphasize new findings.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent research confirms VPAs teratogenicity and risk of hormone disruption. VPA exposure in utero increases the risk for a variety of major congenital malformations (MCMs), reduced IQ and behavioral problems. In girls and women, VPA increases the risk of hormone abnormalities, obesity, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Despite guidelines recommending caution, VPA use continues to be prescribed to reproductive-aged women and girls. Despite significant and well-documented risk, adherence to guidelines in VPA use in reproductive-aged girls and women remains low.

Gender differences in surgical treatment of patients with cleft lip and palate

Numerous gender-based differences in medical treatment have been recognized due to conscious or unconscious perceptions, i.e. gender bias. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether gender differences exist in the surgical treatment of patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) anomalies. This study is a retrospective review of 235 consecutive patients with non-syndromic unilateral CLP or bilateral CLP born between 1966 and 1986. Each chart was reviewed, and 2178 surgical procedures were registered and categorized as primary surgery (primary lip, palatal and alveolar repair) or secondary surgery (aesthetic and functional revision). Different surgical procedures could be performed during the same surgical session. The number of surgeries performed was analysed and compared between genders. The results demonstrate that women with CLP received statistically significantly more secondary surgeries than men. No differences in the number of primary surgeries were identified. This study provides a gender perspective of the treatment of CLP. We identified no gender differences in primary surgery of the CLP. The standardized method of repairing the cleft is effective in preventing unjust treatment due to gender. However, we identified an indication of gender bias in cleft care regarding secondary surgeries of the nose and lip, namely, women are over-treated and/or men are under-treated. There are several possible explanations for this phenomenon, and further studies are needed.

A re-examination of antidepressant treatment-emergent mania in bipolar disorders: evidence of gender differences

OBJECTIVE

To explore the prevalence and clinical profile of males and females who develop antidepressant treatment-emergent mania (ATEM).

METHOD

From an original sample of 754 patients with BD, we identified ATEM+ cases (n = 75) and ATEM- controls (n = 135) that met stringent criteria. We specifically examined the combinations of clinical factors that best classified males and females as ATEM+ cases.

RESULTS

Seventy-five individuals were classified as ATEM+; 87% of ATEM events occurred during antidepressant monotherapy. Regression analyses demonstrated that the presence of an alcohol and/or substance use disorder [Odds Ratio (OR) 6.37], a history of one or more suicide attempts (OR 4.19) and higher number of depressive episodes per year of illness (OR 1.71) correctly classified 73% of males. In contrast, 84% of females were correctly classified on the basis of a positive history of thyroid disorder (OR 3.23), a positive family history of BD I (OR 2.68) and depressive onset polarity (OR 2.01).

CONCLUSION

Using stringent definitions of ATEM status to reduce the probability of inclusion of false-positive cases and false-negative controls, we identified for the first time that the risk profiles for the development of an ATEM differ significantly according to gender.

Pharmacological treatment and risk of psychiatric hospital admission in bipolar disorder

BackgroundClinical trials have examined the efficacy of drugs to prevent relapse in patients with bipolar disorder, however, their design often limits generalisation to routine clinical practice.AimsTo estimate the effectiveness of drugs used for maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder.MethodWe used national registers to identify 35 022 individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder and information on lithium, valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, quetiapine and olanzapine treatment from 2006 to 2009. The main outcome was psychiatric hospital admissions. We used stratified cox regression to compare periods on and off medication within the same individual.ResultsMedication with lithium, valproate, lamotrigine, olanzapine and quetiapine was associated with reduced rates of admission to hospital. Lithium was more effective than quetiapine and olanzapine. The effects of specific drugs depended on the polarity of the mood episode.ConclusionsOur findings complement results from randomised controlled trails, but suggest that lithium is more effective than both quetiapine and olanzapine in routine clinical practice.

Benzodiazepine use in patients with chronic pain in an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program

Objectives

In the context of widespread opioid use, increased emphasis has been placed on the potentially deleterious effects of concurrent benzodiazepine (BZD) and opioid use. Although use of opioids in chronic pain has been a major focus, BZD use is equally concerning. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to determine the associations between BZD and opioid use in adults with chronic pain upon admission to an outpatient interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation (IPR) program.

Methods

The study cohort involved 847 consecutive patients admitted to a 3-week outpatient IPR program from January 2013 through December 2014. Study variables included baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the pain severity subscale of the Multidimensional Pain Inventory.

Results

Upon admission, 248 (29%) patients were taking BZDs. Patients using BZDs were significantly more likely to use opioids and to be female. Additionally, patients using BZDs had significantly greater depression, pain catastrophizing, and pain severity scores. In univariable logistic regression analysis, opioid use, female sex, and greater scores of depression, pain catastrophizing, and pain severity were significantly associated with BZD use. In multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, pain duration, opioid use, depression, pain catastrophizing, and pain severity, only female sex and greater depression scores were significantly associated with BZD use.

Discussion

Among patients participating in an outpatient IPR program, female sex and greater depression scores were associated with BZD use. Results identify a high prevalence of BZD use in patients with chronic pain and reinforce the need to weigh the risks versus benefits when prescribing in this patient population.

Influence of lithium on sleep and chronotypes in remitted patients with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Lithium (Li) is the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder (BD), but its mechanisms of action remain unknown. Although the chronobiological action of Li is well documented in animals, its effects on sleep and chronotypes in remitted BD patients have never been investigated.

METHODS

OPTHYMUM is a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study conducted in France. We compared the sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) and chronotypes (Composite Scale of Morningness, CSM) of 525 euthymic adult bipolar outpatients with (n=149) and without (n=376) current Li treatment. We used a general linear mixed-effects Poisson model to correct for age, gender, BD subtype, and mood symptoms.

RESULTS

In patients with BD type I, women taking Li had significantly lower PSQI (-23% [-37; -7]), but men did not (-4% [-20; +16]). Patients with BD I taking Li had better sleep efficiency (-40% [-61; -7]) and tended to better sleep duration scores (-42% [-68; +3]). A Li effect exists in women for both sleep duration and the use of night sedation (resp. -70% [-90; -10] and -37% [-60; +0.01]) but not in men (resp. -12% [-63;+113] and +9% [-31;+72]). No such associations were observed for BD II. No lithium effect was detected in the CSM score.

LIMITATIONS

No controls for other medications but no between-group differences for sedative or antidepressant intakes.

CONCLUSIONS

Euthymic BD I patients with Li have better sleep efficiency and longer sleep duration than those without Li. Women with Li have better sleep quality, longer sleep duration and less frequent use of night sedation.

Genome-wide association study identifies SESTD1 as a novel risk gene for lithium-responsive bipolar disorder

Lithium is the mainstay prophylactic treatment for bipolar disorder (BD), but treatment response varies considerably across individuals. Patients who respond well to lithium treatment might represent a relatively homogeneous subtype of this genetically and phenotypically diverse disorder. Here, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify (i) specific genetic variations influencing lithium response and (ii) genetic variants associated with risk for lithium-responsive BD. Patients with BD and controls were recruited from Sweden and the United Kingdom. GWAS were performed on 2698 patients with subjectively defined (self-reported) lithium response and 1176 patients with objectively defined (clinically documented) lithium response. We next conducted GWAS comparing lithium responders with healthy controls (1639 subjective responders and 8899 controls; 323 objective responders and 6684 controls). Meta-analyses of Swedish and UK results revealed no significant associations with lithium response within the bipolar subjects. However, when comparing lithium-responsive patients with controls, two imputed markers attained genome-wide significant associations, among which one was validated in confirmatory genotyping (rs116323614, P=2.74 × 10(-8)). It is an intronic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on chromosome 2q31.2 in the gene SEC14 and spectrin domains 1 (SESTD1), which encodes a protein involved in regulation of phospholipids. Phospholipids have been strongly implicated as lithium treatment targets. Furthermore, we estimated the proportion of variance for lithium-responsive BD explained by common variants ('SNP heritability') as 0.25 and 0.29 using two definitions of lithium response. Our results revealed a genetic variant in SESTD1 associated with risk for lithium-responsive BD, suggesting that the understanding of BD etiology could be furthered by focusing on this subtype of BD.

A Loss-of-Function Variant in a Minor Isoform of ANK3 Protects Against Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Ankyrin-3 (ANK3) was one of the first genes to reach significance in a bipolar disorder genome-wide association study. Many subsequent association studies confirmed this finding and implicated this gene in schizophrenia. However, the exact nature of the role of ANK3 in the pathophysiology remains elusive. In particular, the specific isoforms involved and the nature of the imbalance are unknown.

METHODS

We genotyped a Norwegian sample of 402 patients with bipolar disorder, 293 patients with schizophrenia, and 330 healthy control subjects genome-wide with the Illumina Human Exome BeadChip. We performed allelic association tests at the genome-wide and gene levels and found a significantly associated single nucleotide polymorphism in a splice site of ANK3. We replicated this finding in two other samples and studied the functional effect of this single nucleotide polymorphism by performing quantitative polymerase chain reaction on the affected exon junction in complementary DNA from blood total RNA.

RESULTS

The splice site single nucleotide polymorphism (rs41283526) is located in an alternatively spliced exon of ANK3 and has a strong and significant protective effect against bipolar disorder (odds ratio = .31) and schizophrenia (odds ratio = .21). The minor allele of rs41283526 is a loss-of-function variant that disables the correct splicing of the transcript. Data from the BrainSpan human developmental transcriptome show that the exon bearing this variant is expressed only in a minor isoform of ANK3, the transcription of which is initiated in early adolescence.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that an elevated expression of this transcript starting in adolescence may be an important factor in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Genome-wide association study of 40,000 individuals identifies two novel loci associated with bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a genetically complex mental illness characterized by severe oscillations of mood and behaviour. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several risk loci that together account for a small portion of the heritability. To identify additional risk loci, we performed a two-stage meta-analysis of >9 million genetic variants in 9,784 bipolar disorder patients and 30,471 controls, the largest GWAS of BD to date. In this study, to increase power we used ∼2,000 lithium-treated cases with a long-term diagnosis of BD from the Consortium on Lithium Genetics, excess controls, and analytic methods optimized for markers on the X-chromosome. In addition to four known loci, results revealed genome-wide significant associations at two novel loci: an intergenic region on 9p21.3 (rs12553324, P =  5.87 × 10 -  9; odds ratio (OR) = 1.12) and markers within ERBB2 (rs2517959, P =  4.53 × 10 -  9; OR = 1.13). No significant X-chromosome associations were detected and X-linked markers explained very little BD heritability. The results add to a growing list of common autosomal variants involved in BD and illustrate the power of comparing well-characterized cases to an excess of controls in GWAS.

Changes in mood stabilizer prescription patterns in bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Lithium is a first line treatment option in bipolar disorder, but several alternative treatments have been introduced in recent years, such as antiepileptic and atypical antipsychotic drugs. Little is known about how this has changed the prescription patterns. We investigated possible changes in the use of mood stabilizers and antidepressants in Sweden during 2007-2013.

METHODS

Data was collected from Swedish registers: the National Quality Assurance Register for bipolar disorder (BipoläR), the Prescribed Drug Register, and the Patient Register. Logistic regression models with drug use as outcomes were used to adjust for confounding factors such as sex, age, year of registration, and subtypes of bipolar disorder.

RESULTS

In both bipolar subtypes, lithium use decreased steadily during the study period, while the use of lamotrigine and quetiapine increased. The use of valproate decreased in bipolar II disorder and the use of olanzapine decreased among women. The use of antidepressant remained principally unchanged but increased somewhat in bipolar I disorder.

LIMITATIONS

We only report data from 2007 as the coverage of BipoläR prior to 2007 was too low to allow for reliable analyses.

CONCLUSION

Significant changes in the prescription of drugs in the treatment of bipolar disorder have occurred in recent years in Sweden. Further studies are needed to clarify whether these changes alter the outcome in bipolar disorder.