Age at onset in 3014 Sardinian bipolar and major depressive disorder patients

Effect of prior depression diagnosis on bipolar disorder outcomes: A retrospective cohort study using a medical claims database

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder often emerges from depressive episodes and is initially diagnosed as depression. This study aimed to explore the effects of a prior depression diagnosis on outcomes in patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

METHODS

This cohort study analyzed data of patients aged 18-64 years who received a new bipolar disorder diagnosis in Japan, using medical claims data from January 2005 to October 2020 provided by JMDC, Inc. The index month was defined as the time of the bipolar diagnosis. The study assessed the incidence of psychiatric hospitalization, all-cause hospitalization, and mortality, stratified by the presence of a preceding depression diagnosis and its duration (≥1 or <1 year). Hazard ratios (HRs) and p-values were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for potential confounders, and supported by log-rank tests.

RESULTS

Of the 5595 patients analyzed, 2460 had a history of depression, with 1049 experiencing it for over a year and 1411 for less than a year. HRs for psychiatric hospitalization, all hospitalizations, and death in patients with a history of depression versus those without were 0.92 (95% CI = 0.78-1.08, p = 0.30), 0.87 (95% CI = 0.78-0.98, p = 0.017), and 0.61 (95% CI = 0.33-1.12, p = 0.11), respectively. In patients with preceding depression ≥1 year versus <1 year, HRs were 0.89 (95% CI = 0.67-1.19, p = 0.43) for psychiatric hospitalization, 0.85 (95% CI = 0.71-1.00, p = 0.052) for all hospitalizations, and 0.25 (95% CI = 0.07-0.89, p = 0.03) for death.

CONCLUSION

A prior history and duration of depression may not elevate psychiatric hospitalization risk after bipolar disorder diagnosis and might even correlate with reduced hospitalization and mortality rates.

Hypomania-Checklist-33: risk stratification and factor structure in a mixed psychiatric adolescent sample

BACKGROUND

The 33-item Hypomania Checklist (HCL-33) has been shown to distinguish between adolescent bipolar disorder (BD) and unipolar depression. To investigate the utility of the HCL-33 as a screening tool in routine diagnostics, the frequency and psychopathological characteristics of detected individuals in a mixed psychiatric sample necessitate more examination.

METHODS

The HCL-33, Children's Depression Inventory, Beck's Anxiety Inventory, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were completed by 285 children and adolescents (12-18 years) in a mixed psychiatric sample. Applying the proposed HCL-33 cut-off score of ≥ 18, individuals with depressive symptoms were divided into at-risk or not at-risk for BD groups. The factorial structure, sum and factor score correlations with psychopathology, and impact on daily functioning were assessed.

RESULTS

20.6% of the sample met at-risk criteria for BD. These individuals (n = 55) were older, more anxious, and showed more conduct problems vs the not at-risk group (n = 107). A two- and a three-factor model were pursued with the same Factor 1 ("active-elated"). Factor 2 ("risk-taking/irritable") was separated into 2a ("irritable-erratic") and 2b ("outgoing-disinhibited") in the three-factor model. Whereas higher Factor 2 and 2a scores correlated with a broad range of more severe symptomatology (i.e., depression, anxiety, hyperactivity), higher Factor 1 and 2b scores correlated with more emotional and conduct problems, respectively. 51.7% of the sample reported a negative impact from hypomanic symptoms on daily functioning.

LIMITATIONS

Cross-sectional design and data collection in a single mental health service.

CONCLUSIONS

The HCL-33 may be a useful tool to improve diagnostics, especially in adolescents with depressive symptoms additionally presenting with anxious symptoms and conduct problems.

Childhood Clinical Features Preceding the Onset of Bipolar Versus Major Depressive Disorders During Adolescence

OBJECTIVE

To identify childhood psychopathological features that predict the onset of adolescent Bipolar (BD) versus Unipolar Major Depressive Disorder (UD) during adolescence.

METHOD

We analyzed clinical data from 495 juveniles diagnosed with DSM-5 UD (n = 359), and BD (n = 136), using bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression model.

RESULTS

BD subjects exhibited earlier onset of any psychiatric feature compared to UD. Antecedents associated with later BD were: oppositional defiant > specific phobias > ADHD > obsessive compulsive (OCD). Antecedents selectively associated with later UD were: social anxiety and separation anxiety. Factors significantly and independently associated with later BD diagnosis were: [a] emotional dysregulation at onset of the mood disorder; [b] first depressive episode with mixed features; [c] antecedent ADHD; [d] antecedent OCD, and [e] antecedent oppositional-defiance.

CONCLUSION

Identifying developmental differences in BD and UD symptoms can aid clinicians in early identification and treatment planning for bipolar disorder in youth.

Predicting treatment response in adolescents and young adults with major depressive episodes from fMRI using graph isomorphism network

BACKGROUND

Major depressive episode (MDE) is the main clinical feature of mood disorders (major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder) in adolescents and young adults and accounts for most of the disease course. However, 30%-40% of MDE patients not responding to clinical first-line interventions. It is crucial to predict treatment response in the early stages and identify biomarkers associated with treatment response. Graph Isomorphism Network (GIN), a deep learning method, is promising for predicting treatment response for individual MDE patients with more powerful representation ability to capture the features of brain functional connectivity.

METHODS

In this study, GIN was used to predict individual treatment response in 198 adolescents and young adults with MDE. The most discriminating regions were also identified for the treatment response prediction.

RESULTS

Using GIN approach, the baseline functional connectivity could predict 79.8% responders and 67.4% non-responders to treatment (accuracy 74.24%). Furthermore, the most discriminating brain regions were mainly involved in paralimbic and subcortical areas.

CONCLUSIONS

GIN has shown potential in predicting treatment response for individual patients, which may enable personalized treatment decisions. Furthermore, targeted interventions focused on modulating the activity and connectivity within paralimbic and subcortical regions could potentially improve treatment outcomes and enable personalized interventions for adolescents and young adults with MDE.

Effect of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation on improving depression and modulating functional activity in emotion-related cortical-subcortical regions in bipolar depression

Preliminary studies have suggested that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is effective for bipolar depression, However, brain correlates of the depression alleviating are unclear. To determine the efficacy and safety of tDCS as an add-on treatment for patients with bipolar depression and further to identify the effect of tDCS on the resting-state brain activities, we recruited fifty patients with bipolar depression to complete the double-blind, sham-controlled and randomized clinical trial. Fourteen sessions of tDCS were performed once a day for 14 days. The anode was placed over F3 with return electrodes placed at FP1, FZ, C3 and F7. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was examined on 50 patients with bipolar depression before and after 14-day active or sham tDCS. Patients in the active group showed significantly superior alleviating the depression symptoms compared with those receiving sham. The active group after 14-day active tDCS showed increased ReHo values in the orbitofrontal cortex and middle frontal gyrus and decreased ReHo values in subcortical structures including hippocampus, parahippocampa gyrus, amygdala, putamen and lentiform nucleus. The reduction of depression severity showed positive correlation of increased ReHo values in the orbitofrontal cortex and middle frontal gyrus and negative correlation of altered ReHo values in the putamen and lentiform. TDCS was an effective and safe add-on intervention for this small bipolar depression sample. The reduction of depression induced by tDCS is associated with a modulation of neural synchronization in the cortical and subcortical structures (ReHo values) within an emotion-related brain network.

Contributing risk factors of common psychiatric disorders in the Pakistani population

With an increasing incidence of psychiatric disorders worldwide, there is a need for a better understanding of the population-specific contributing risk factors that are associated with common psychiatric conditions. This study aimed to assess the correlation between socioeconomic, environmental and clinical features associated with major depression (MDD n = 479), bipolar disorder (BD n = 222) and schizophrenia (SHZ n = 146), in the Pakistani population. Multinomial logistic regression and Pearson's correlation were applied to assess the association and correlation between demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and clinical features of MDD, BD and SHZ. In the present study, MDD was found to be more prevalent than BD and SHZ. The average age at onset (AAO), was observed to be earlier in females with BD and SHZ, in addition, females with a positive family history of MDD, BD and SHZ also had an earlier AAO. The fitted multinomial logistic regression model indicated a significant association of; aggression, tobacco use, drugs abuse, history of head injuries and family history with BD as compared to MDD, while insomnia and suicidality were significantly associated with MDD. Strong positive correlations were observed mainly between age/AAO, AAO/tobacco use and aggression/insomnia in all three cohorts. In conclusion, the present study identifies possible contributing socio-demographic, biological and environmental factors that are correlated and associated with the psychiatric conditions in the Pakistani population.

Development and validation of a nomogram based on lymphocyte subsets to distinguish bipolar depression from major depressive disorder

OBJECTIVE

Bipolar depression (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are both common affective disorders. The common depression episodes make it difficult to distinguish between them, even for experienced clinicians. Failure to properly diagnose them in a timely manner leads to inappropriate treatment strategies. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between BD and MDD. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a nomogram model that distinguishes BD from MDD based on the characteristics of lymphocyte subsets.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective cross-sectional study was performed. Blood samples were obtained from participants who met the inclusion criteria. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model was used for factor selection. A differential diagnosis nomogram for BD and MDD was developed using multivariable logistic regression and the area under the curve (AUC) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated, as well as the internal validation using a bootstrap algorithm with 1,000 repetitions. Calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the calibration and clinical utility of the nomogram, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 166 participants who were diagnosed with BD (83 cases) or MDD (83 cases), as well as 101 healthy controls (HCs) between June 2018 and January 2022 were enrolled in this study. CD19⁺ B cells, CD3⁺ T cells, CD3^-CD16/56⁺ NK cells, and total lymphocyte counts were strong predictors of the diagnosis of BD and MDD and were included in the differential diagnosis nomogram. The AUC of the nomogram and internal validation were 0.922 (95%; CI, 0.879-0.965), and 0.911 (95% CI, 0.838-0.844), respectively. The calibration curve used to discriminate BD from MDD showed optimal agreement between the nomogram and the actual diagnosis. The results of DCA showed that the net clinical benefit was significant.

CONCLUSION

This is an easy-to-use, repeatable, and economical nomogram for differential diagnosis that can help clinicians in the individual diagnosis of BD and MDD patients, reduce the risk of misdiagnosis, facilitate the formulation of appropriate treatment strategies and intervention plans.

The Delta Study - Prevalence and characteristics of mood disorders in 924 individuals with low mood: Results of the of the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI)

OBJECTIVES

The Delta Study was undertaken to improve the diagnosis of mood disorders in individuals presenting with low mood. The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence and explore the characteristics of mood disorders in participants of the Delta Study, and discuss their implications for clinical practice.

METHODS

Individuals with low mood (Patients Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥5) and either no previous mood disorder diagnosis (baseline low mood group, n = 429), a recent (≤5 years) clinical diagnosis of MDD (baseline MDD group, n = 441) or a previous clinical diagnosis of BD (established BD group, n = 54), were recruited online. Self-reported demographic and clinical data were collected through an extensive online mental health questionnaire and mood disorder diagnoses were determined with the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI).

RESULTS

The prevalence of BD and MDD in the baseline low mood group was 24% and 36%, respectively. The prevalence of BD among individuals with a recent diagnosis of MDD was 31%. Participants with BD in both baseline low mood and baseline MDD groups were characterized by a younger age at onset of the first low mood episode, more severe depressive symptoms and lower wellbeing, relative to the MDD or low mood groups. Approximately half the individuals with BD diagnosed as MDD (49%) had experienced (hypo)manic symptoms prior to being diagnosed with MDD.

CONCLUSIONS

The current results confirm high under- and misdiagnosis rates of mood disorders in individuals presenting with low mood, potentially leading to worsening of symptoms and decreased well-being, and indicate the need for improved mental health triage in primary care.

Differences in Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Depressive vs. Manic First Episode of Bipolar Disorder

Background: Bipolar disorder is a serious mental disease marked by episodes of depression, mania, hypomania, or mixed states. Patients with bipolar disorder may present with different symptoms at first onset. The aim of this study is to compare demographic and clinical variables based on a patient's first episode of bipolar disorder, including risk of recurrence over a 2-year period. Methods: A large cohort (N = 742) of patients with bipolar disorder in China was analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to their first episode of bipolar disorder, either depression or mania. Patients in mixed state first episode were classified based on predominant symptoms. Three hundred eighteen patients of the cohort had a first episode of mania and 424 patients had initial symptoms of depression. Demographic and clinical data were collected. All patients were followed up for 24 months. Data on compliance with follow-up appointments and recurrence of symptoms after 6, 12, 18, and 24 months were collected. Clinical characteristics (course of disease, age of onset, psychiatric family history, etc.) were compared between the mania group and depression groups. Results: More patients with bipolar disorder had a first episode of depression than mania (57.14 vs. 42.86%). Compared with the depression group, the mania group had later age of diagnosis of bipolar disorder [(38.64 ± 13.50) vs. (36.34 ± 14.94), P = 0.028], lower education level [(9.37 ± 4.34) vs. (10.17 ± 4.81), P = 0.017] and longer latency between an initial episode of psychiatric symptoms and formal bipolar diagnosis [(10.80 ± 10.76) vs. (8.85 ± 9.90), P = 0.012]. More patients in the mania group were male and without psychotic symptoms (all P < 0.05). In comparison with the mania group, more patients in the depression group were female, with higher frequency of a reported precipitating event before first mood episode (all P < 0.05). Compared with the depression group, the mania group had more recurrences of illness at the end of 12 months (Z =-2.156, P = 0.031), 18 months (Z =-2.192, P = 0.028), and 24 months (Z = -2.364, P = 0.018). Conclusions: In our study, there are a number of differences in demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with different onset syndromes of bipolar disorder. These differences include gender, education level, diagnosis age, the rate of recurrences, and others. These data of a cohort of Chinese patients add to the growing international literature on the relationship between index episode of bipolar disorder and clinical variables and outcomes. These results and further study may allow clinicians to offer patients and families more reliable prognostic information at the onset of disease.

Early clinical predictors and correlates of long-term morbidity in bipolar disorder

Objectives:

Identifying factors predictive of long-term morbidity should improve clinical planning limiting disability and mortality associated with bipolar disorder (BD).

Methods:

We analyzed factors associated with total, depressive and mania-related long-term morbidity and their ratio D/M, as %-time ill between a first-lifetime major affective episode and last follow-up of 207 BD subjects. Bivariate comparisons were followed by multivariable linear regression modeling.

Results:

Total % of months ill during follow-up was greater in 96 BD-II (40.2%) than 111 BD-I subjects (28.4%; P = 0.001). Time in depression averaged 26.1% in BD-II and 14.3% in BD-I, whereas mania-related morbidity was similar in both, averaging 13.9%. Their ratio D/M was 3.7-fold greater in BD-II than BD-I (5.74 vs. 1.96; P < 0.0001). Predictive factors independently associated with total %-time ill were: [a] BD-II diagnosis, [b] longer prodrome from antecedents to first affective episode, and [c] any psychiatric comorbidity. Associated with %-time depressed were: [a] BD-II diagnosis, [b] any antecedent psychiatric syndrome, [c] psychiatric comorbidity, and [d] agitated/psychotic depressive first affective episode. Associated with %-time in mania-like illness were: [a] fewer years ill and [b] (hypo)manic first affective episode. The long-term D/M morbidity ratio was associated with: [a] anxious temperament, [b] depressive first episode, and [c] BD-II diagnosis.

Conclusions:

Long-term depressive greatly exceeded mania-like morbidity in BD patients. BD-II subjects spent 42% more time ill overall, with a 3.7-times greater D/M morbidity ratio, than BD-I. More time depressed was predicted by agitated/psychotic initial depressive episodes, psychiatric comorbidity, and BD-II diagnosis. Longer prodrome and any antecedent psychiatric syndrome were respectively associated with total and depressive morbidity.

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.

Proxy measures of premortem cognitive aptitude in postmortem subjects with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Postmortem human brain studies provide the molecular, cellular, and circuitry levels of resolution essential for the development of mechanistically-novel interventions for cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. However, the absence of measures of premortem cognitive aptitude in postmortem subjects has presented a major challenge to interpreting the relationship between the severity of neural alterations and cognitive deficits within the same subjects.

METHODS

To begin addressing this challenge, proxy measures of cognitive aptitude were evaluated in postmortem subjects (N = 507) meeting criteria for schizophrenia, major depressive or bipolar disorder, and unaffected comparison subjects. Specifically, highest levels of educational and occupational attainment of the decedent and their parents were obtained during postmortem psychological autopsies.

RESULTS

Consistent with prior findings in living subjects, subjects with schizophrenia had the lowest educational and occupational attainment relative to all other subject groups, and they also failed to show the generational improvement in attainment observed in all other subject groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Educational and occupational attainment data obtained during postmortem psychological autopsies can be used as proxy measures of premortem cognitive function to interrogate the neural substrate of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.

Theory of mind in remitted bipolar disorder: Interpersonal accuracy in recognition of dynamic nonverbal signals

A relatively unexplored aspect in bipolar disorder (BD) is the ability to accurately judge other´s nonverbal behavior. To explore this aspect of social cognition in this population is particularly meaningful, as it may have an influence in their social and interpersonal functioning. The aim of this research was to study interpersonal accuracy (IPA) in remitted BDs, that is, the specific skills that fall under the general term Theory of Mind (ToM). Study participants included 119 remitted individuals with BD (70 BD I and 49 BD II), and they were compared with a group of 39 persons diagnosed with unipolar depression (UD) and 119 control participants. The MiniPONS was used to test the whole spectrum of nonverbal cues as facial expressions, body language and voice. Results indicated a superiority of the control group with statistically significant differences both in the performance in the MiniPONS (number of right answers) and in each of the areas evaluated by this test. BD groups, in recognition of the meaning of gestures in face, body and voice intonation, performed significantly worse than controls. ANCOVA analysis controlling the effect of age shows that control group performed significantly better compared to clinical groups, and there were no differences between UD and BD groups. The results indicate a deficit in IPA and suggest that better comprehension of deficiencies in interpersonal accuracy in BD may help to develop new training programs to improve in these patients the understanding of others, which might have a positive impact in their psychosocial functionality, and thus lead to the objective of functional rehabilitation.

Pharmacological treatment of adult bipolar disorder

We summarize evidence supporting contemporary pharmacological treatment of phases of BD, including: mania, depression, and long-term recurrences, emphasizing findings from randomized, controlled trials (RCTs). Effective treatment of acute or dysphoric mania is provided by modern antipsychotics, some anticonvulsants (divalproex and carbamazepine), and lithium salts. Treatment of BD-depression remains unsatisfactory but includes some modern antipsychotics (particularly lurasidone, olanzapine + fluoxetine, and quetiapine) and the anticonvulsant lamotrigine; value and safety of antidepressants remain controversial. Long-term prophylactic treatment relies on lithium, off-label use of valproate, and growing use of modern antipsychotics. Lithium has unique evidence of antisuicide effects. Methods of evaluating treatments for BD rely heavily on meta-analysis, which is convenient but with important limitations. Underdeveloped treatment for BD-depression may reflect an assumption that effects of antidepressants are similar in BD as in unipolar major depressive disorder. Effective prophylaxis of BD is limited by the efficacy of available treatments and incomplete adherence owing to adverse effects, costs, and lack of ongoing symptoms. Long-term treatment of BD also is limited by access to, and support of expert, comprehensive clinical programs. Pursuit of improved, rationally designed pharmacological treatments for BD, as for most psychiatric disorders, is fundamentally limited by lack of coherent pathophysiology or etiology.

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder in adult bipolar disorder patients

BACKGROUND

It has long been recognized that bipolar disorder (BD) and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) co-occur in an uncertain proportion of patients, recognized commonly in juvenile years. There is growing suspicion that such co-occurrence is associated with several clinically unfavorable characteristics. Accordingly, we compared 703 type I or II BD subjects with vs. without a lifetime diagnosis of ADHD.

METHODS

We compared 173 BD patients with vs. 530 without co-occurring ADHD for selected demographic and clinical factors, using standard initial bivariate comparisons followed by multivariable logistic regression modeling.

RESULTS

ADHD was found in 25% of BD subjects, more among men and with type I BD. Those with ADHD had higher scores at the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), were more likely to have had less successful school performance, unemployment, lower socioeconomic status, less marriage and more divorce, as well as more substance abuse, suicide attempts, and [hypo]mania, but were less likely to have an anxiety disorder or a family history of mood disorder. Multivariable logistic regression modeling found six factors differing between BD subjects with versus without ADHD: less education after high school, higher ASRS score for inattention, ever separated or divorced, irritable temperament, male sex, and lower scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) at intake.

COMMENTS

Co-occurrence of ADHD with BD was identified at a moderate rate, and was associated with several unfavorable outcomes as well as a tendency toward [hypo]mania.

Differentiation of Transformed Bipolar Disorder From Unipolar Depression by Resting-State Functional Connectivity Within Reward Circuit

Previous studies have found that neural functional abnormalities detected by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in brain regions implicated in reward processing during reward tasks show promise to distinguish bipolar from unipolar depression (UD), but little is known regarding resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) within the reward circuit. In this study, we investigated neurobiomarkers for early recognition of bipolar disorder (BD) by retrospectively comparing rsFC within the reward circuit between UD and depressed BD. Sixty-six depressed patients were enrolled, none of whom had ever experienced any manic/hypomanic episodes before baseline. Simultaneously, 40 matched healthy controls (HC) were also recruited. Neuroimaging data of each participant were obtained from resting-state fMRI scans. Some patients began to manifest bipolar disorder (tBD) during the follow-up period. All patients were retrospectively divided into two groups (33 tBD and 33 UD) according to the presence or absence of mania/hypomania in the follow-up. rsFC between key regions of the reward circuit was calculated and compared among groups. Results showed decreased rsFC between the left ventral tegmental area (VTA) and left ventral striatum (VS) in the tBD group compared with the UD group, which showed good accuracy in predicting diagnosis (tBD vs. UD) according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. No significant different rsFC was found within the reward circuit between any patient group and HC. Our preliminary findings indicated that bipolar disorder, in early depressive stages before onset of mania/hypomania attacks, already differs from UD in the reward circuit of VTA-VS functional synchronicity at the resting state.

Dosage-related nature of escitalopram treatment-emergent mania/hypomania: a case series

OBJECTIVE

Several studies have documented that treatment with various antidepressant agents can result in mood switching during major depressive episodes. Escitalopram, one of the newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), is considered preferable due to its relatively high efficacy and acceptability. Although a few cases of escitalopram treatment-emergent mania have been reported, it remains unknown whether this effect is dose-related.

METHOD

In the present report, we discuss three cases of treatment-emergent mania/hypomania in patients receiving escitalopram for major depressive episodes. No patients had a family or personal history of bipolar disorder.

RESULTS

In all three cases, manic or hypomanic symptoms emerged within 1 month right after the dosage of escitalopram was increased to 20 mg/day. Moreover, manic episodes subsided as the dosage of escitalopram was reduced. Mood switching was not observed after the cessation of escitalopram treatment.

CONCLUSION

Our case series indicates that escitalopram may induce treatment-emergent mania/hypomania in a dose-related manner. Treatment at lower doses and with careful upward titration might be favorable in certain patients with bipolar depression and major depressive disorder in order to minimize the risk of mood switching.

Increased risk of bipolar disorder in patients with scabies: A nationwide population-based matched-cohort study

Both scabies and bipolar disorder (BD) are common and troublesome disorders. There are several similarities in both diseases: pruritus, a higher prevalence in crowded environments, and cytokine-mediated inflammatory processes in the pathophysiology. We conducted this nationwide population-based study to investigate the possible relationship between scabies and BD. Based on the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan, a total of 7096 patients with scabies were identified as a study group and 28,375 matched patients as a control. We tracked the patients in both groups for a 7-year period to identify those newly diagnosed with BD. The demographic characteristics and comorbidities of the patients were analyzed, and Cox proportional hazard regressions were performed to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) of BD. Of the 35,471 patients in this study, 183 (0.5%) patients with newly diagnosed BD were identified, with 58 (0.8%) from the scabies group and 125 (0.4%) from the control group. The patients with scabies had a higher risk of subsequent BD, with a crude hazard ratio of 1.86 and an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.55 (95% confidence interval: 1.12-2.09, P < 0.05). This study shows there is an increased risk for BD among patients with scabies. Immunopathology may contribute to this association.

Safety of hormonal contraception and intrauterine devices among women with depressive and bipolar disorders: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Women with depressive or bipolar disorders are at an increased risk for unintended pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the safety of hormonal contraception among women with depressive and bipolar disorders.

METHODS

We searched for articles published through January 2016 on the safety of using any hormonal contraceptive method among women with depressive or bipolar disorders, including those who had been diagnosed clinically or scored above threshold levels on a validated screening instrument. Outcomes included changes in symptoms, hospitalization, suicide and modifications in medication regimens such as increase or decrease in dosage or changes in type of drug.

RESULTS

Of 2376 articles, 6 met the inclusion criteria. Of three studies that examined women clinically diagnosed with depressive or bipolar disorder, one found that oral contraceptives (OCs) did not significantly change mood across the menstrual cycle among women with bipolar disorder, whereas mood did significantly change across the menstrual cycle among women not using OCs; one found no significant differences in the frequency of psychiatric hospitalizations among women with bipolar disorder who used depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), intrauterine devices (IUDs) or sterilization; and one found no increase in depression scale scores among women with depression using and not using OCs, for both those treated with fluoxetine and those receiving placebo. Of three studies that examined women who met a threshold for depression on a screening instrument, one found that adolescent girls using combined OCs (COCs) had significantly improved depression scores after 3 months compared with placebo, one found that OC users had similar odds of no longer being depressed at follow-up compared with nonusers, and one found that COC users were less frequently classified as depressed over 11 months than IUD users.

CONCLUSIONS

Limited evidence from six studies found that OC, levonorgestrel-releasing IUD and DMPA use among women with depressive or bipolar disorders was not associated with worse clinical course of disease compared with no hormonal method use.

Age at onset in patients with bipolar I and II disorder: a comparison of large sample studies

BACKGROUND

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide and factors contributing to its burden include chronic relapsing course, comorbidity, suicide risk, and early age at onset (AAO). In particular, recent investigation has shown that BD onset may occur earlier than previously believed, even though whether BDI and II are different in such regard is still debated. Reduced samples may, moreover, limit the confidence in the published studies, with geographic issues, in turn, representing potentially conditioning factors. The present review was aimed to select and analyze large sample studies comparing AAO in BDI vs II patients.

METHODS

A PubMed literature search was performed, considering English-written articles published up to December 2015, comparing AAO in BDI vs II patients with sample size≥100 subjects per group.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies were considered suitable for revision, with 8 studies reporting statistically significant differences and 9 not. Among studies reporting statistically significant differences, mostly conducted in Europe, 6 showed an earlier AAO in BDI, while 2 in BDII subjects.

LIMITATIONS

Only studies with large samples included, considering AAO as a continuous variable, and providing a comparison between the bipolar subtypes.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that AAO per se does not seem to reliably differentiate BDI from BDII patients and that such variable should likely be investigated in the context of other clinical characteristics, in order to assess its overall influence over BD course. Geographic factors may, in turn, play a potential role with future investigation warranted to further explore this specific issue.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a recurrent chronic disorder characterised by fluctuations in mood state and energy. It affects more than 1% of the world's population irrespective of nationality, ethnic origin, or socioeconomic status. Bipolar disorder is one of the main causes of disability among young people, leading to cognitive and functional impairment and raised mortality, particularly death by suicide. A high prevalence of psychiatric and medical comorbidities is typical in affected individuals. Accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder is difficult in clinical practice because onset is most commonly a depressive episode and looks similar to unipolar depression. Moreover, there are currently no valid biomarkers for the disorder. Therefore, the role of clinical assessment remains key. Detection of hypomanic periods and longitudinal assessment are crucial to differentiate bipolar disorder from other conditions. Current knowledge of the evolving pharmacological and psychological strategies in bipolar disorder is of utmost importance.

Suicide attempts in bipolar disorders: comprehensive review of 101 reports

OBJECTIVE

Assess reported risk of suicide attempts by patients with bipolar disorder (BD).

METHOD

Systematic searching yielded 101 reports from 22 countries (79 937 subjects). We analyzed for risk (%) and incidence rates (%/year) of attempts, comparing sex and diagnostic types, including by meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Attempt risk averaged 31.1% [CI: 27.9-34.3] of subjects, or 4.24 [3.78-4.70]%/year. In BD-I (43 studies) and BD-II subjects (30 studies), risks (29.9%, 31.4%) and incidence rates (4.01, 4.11%/year) were similar and not different by meta-analysis. Among women vs. men, risks (33.7% vs. 25.5%) and incidence (4.50 vs. 3.21%/year) were greater (also supported by meta-analysis: RR = 1.35 [CI: 1.25-1.45], P < 0.0001). Neither measure was related to reporting year, % women/study, or to onset or current age. Risks were greater with longer exposure, whereas incidence rates decreased with longer time at risk, possibly through 'dilution' by longer exposure.

CONCLUSION

This systematic update of international experience underscores high risks of suicide attempts among patients with BD (BD-I = BD-II; women > men). Future studies should routinely include exposure times and incidence rates by diagnostic type and sex for those who attempt suicide or not.

The neurocognitive profile of mood disorders - a review of the evidence and methodological issues

OBJECTIVES

Cognitive abnormalities are an established part of the symptomatology of mood disorders. However, questions still exist regarding the exact profile of these deficits in terms of the domains most affected, their origins, and their relationship to clinical subtypes. This review aims to examine the current state of the evidence and to examine ways in which the field may be advanced.

METHODS

Studies examining cognitive function in bipolar disorder (BD) and unipolar major depression (MDD) were examined. Given the number and variability of such studies, particular attention was paid to meta-analyses and to meta-regression analyses which examined the possible mediators of cognitive impairment.

RESULTS

Meta-analyses are available for MDD and BD in both depression and euthymia. Several analyses examine mediators. Results do not support the presence of domain specific deficits but rather a moderate deficit across a range of domains in BD and in MDD. The data on clinical mediators is inconsistent, even with regard to the effect of mood state.

CONCLUSIONS

A two-tiered approach, with the broad-based application of standardized measures on a large-scale, and the refined application of theoretically driven experimental development would significantly further our understanding of neurocognitive processing in mood disorder.

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for mood disorders

OBJECTIVES

To provide guidance for the management of mood disorders, based on scientific evidence supplemented by expert clinical consensus and formulate recommendations to maximise clinical salience and utility.

METHODS

Articles and information sourced from search engines including PubMed and EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Google Scholar were supplemented by literature known to the mood disorders committee (MDC) (e.g., books, book chapters and government reports) and from published depression and bipolar disorder guidelines. Information was reviewed and discussed by members of the MDC and findings were then formulated into consensus-based recommendations and clinical guidance. The guidelines were subjected to rigorous successive consultation and external review involving: expert and clinical advisors, the public, key stakeholders, professional bodies and specialist groups with interest in mood disorders.

RESULTS

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for mood disorders (Mood Disorders CPG) provide up-to-date guidance and advice regarding the management of mood disorders that is informed by evidence and clinical experience. The Mood Disorders CPG is intended for clinical use by psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians and others with an interest in mental health care.

CONCLUSIONS

The Mood Disorder CPG is the first Clinical Practice Guideline to address both depressive and bipolar disorders. It provides up-to-date recommendations and guidance within an evidence-based framework, supplemented by expert clinical consensus.

MOOD DISORDERS COMMITTEE

Professor Gin Malhi (Chair), Professor Darryl Bassett, Professor Philip Boyce, Professor Richard Bryant, Professor Paul Fitzgerald, Dr Kristina Fritz, Professor Malcolm Hopwood, Dr Bill Lyndon, Professor Roger Mulder, Professor Greg Murray, Professor Richard Porter and Associate Professor Ajeet Singh.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERT ADVISORS

Professor Carlo Altamura, Dr Francesco Colom, Professor Mark George, Professor Guy Goodwin, Professor Roger McIntyre, Dr Roger Ng, Professor John O'Brien, Professor Harold Sackeim, Professor Jan Scott, Dr Nobuhiro Sugiyama, Professor Eduard Vieta, Professor Lakshmi Yatham.

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND EXPERT ADVISORS

Professor Marie-Paule Austin, Professor Michael Berk, Dr Yulisha Byrow, Professor Helen Christensen, Dr Nick De Felice, A/Professor Seetal Dodd, A/Professor Megan Galbally, Dr Josh Geffen, Professor Philip Hazell, A/Professor David Horgan, A/Professor Felice Jacka, Professor Gordon Johnson, Professor Anthony Jorm, Dr Jon-Paul Khoo, Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, Dr Cameron Lacey, Dr Noeline Latt, Professor Florence Levy, A/Professor Andrew Lewis, Professor Colleen Loo, Dr Thomas Mayze, Dr Linton Meagher, Professor Philip Mitchell, Professor Daniel O'Connor, Dr Nick O'Connor, Dr Tim Outhred, Dr Mark Rowe, Dr Narelle Shadbolt, Dr Martien Snellen, Professor John Tiller, Dr Bill Watkins, Dr Raymond Wu.

Disturbances in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and Immunological Activity Differentiating between Unipolar and Bipolar Depressive Episodes

INTRODUCTION

Differentiating bipolar depression (BD) from unipolar depression (UD) is difficult in clinical practice and, consequently, accurate recognition of BD can take as long as nine years. Research has therefore focused on the discriminatory capacities of biomarkers, such as markers of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis or immunological activity. However, no previous study included assessments of both systems, which is problematic as they may influence each other. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether cortisol indicators and inflammatory markers were a) independently associated with and/or b) showed effect modification in relation to a lifetime (hypo)manic episode in a large sample of depressed patients.

METHODS

Data were derived from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety and comprised 764 patients with a DSM-IV depressive disorder at baseline, of which 124 (16.2%) had a lifetime (hypo)manic episode at the 2-year assessment, or a more recent episode at the 4-year or 6-year assessment. Baseline cortisol awakening response, evening cortisol and diurnal cortisol slope were considered as cortisol indicators, while baseline C-reactive Protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) were included as inflammatory markers.

RESULTS

In depressed men and women, none of the cortisol indicators and inflammatory markers were (independently) associated with a (hypo)manic episode. However, effect modification was found of diurnal cortisol slope and CRP in relation to a (hypo)manic episode. Further analyses showed that depressed men with high levels of diurnal cortisol slope and CRP had an increased odds (OR=10.99, p=.001) of having a (hypo)manic episode. No significant differences were found in women.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that the combination of high diurnal cortisol slope and high CRP may differentiate between UD and BD. This stresses the importance of considering HPA-axis and immunological activity simultaneously, but more research is needed to unravel their interrelatedness.

Bipolar disorders following initial depression: modeling predictive clinical factors

OBJECTIVE

Most first lifetime episodes among persons eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder are depressive, often with years of delay to a final differentiation from unipolar major depression. To support early differentiation, we tested several predictive factors for association with later diagnoses of bipolar disorder.

METHOD

With data from mood-disorder patients with first-lifetime episodes of major depression, we used multivariate, logistic modeling and Bayesian methods including Receiver Operating Characteristic curves to evaluate ability of one or more selected factors to differentiate patients who later met DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder and not unipolar major depressive disorder.

RESULTS

We analyzed data from 2146 patients (642 bipolar, 1504 unipolar) at risk for 13 years following initial depressive episodes. In multivariate modeling for 812 subjects with information on all clinical factors considered, seven significantly and independently differentiated bipolar from unipolar disorders, ranking (by significance): (a) ≥4 previous depressive episodes, (b) suicidal acts, (c) cyclothymic temperament, (d) family history of bipolar disorder, (e) substance-abuse, (f) younger-at-onset, or onset-age <25, and (g) male sex; four of these (c, d, f, g) can be identified at illness-onset. Bayesian analysis indicated optimal sensitivity and specificity at 2-4 factors/person and correct classification of 64-67% of cases, and ROC analysis of factors/person yielded a significant area-under-the-curve of 0.72 [CI: 0.68-0.75].

CONCLUSIONS

In multivariate modeling, 7 factors were significantly and independently associated with bipolar disorder diagnosed up to 13 years after initial depression.

Clinical characteristics of bipolar disorder: a comparative study between Argentina and the United States

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder presents with diverse clinical manifestations. Numerous investigators have sought to identify variables that may predict a more severe illness course.

METHODS

With the objective of studying the clinical characteristics of bipolar patients between South and North America, a comparison was performed between a sample from Argentina (n = 449) and a sample from the United States (n = 503) with respect to demographics and clinical characteristics, including presence of comorbidities.

RESULTS

The Argentinian sample had more unfavorable demographics and higher rates of prior psychiatric hospitalization and prior suicide attempt but a better social outcome. However, the sample from the United States had a higher rate of prior year rapid cycling, as well as younger bipolar disorder onset age (mean ± SD, 17.9 ± 8.4 vs. 27.1 ± 11.4 years) and more severe clinical morbidity, though there was no significant difference in terms of the total duration of the illness. Argentinian compared to American patients were taking more mood stabilizers and benzodiazepines/hypnotics, but fewer antipsychotics and other psychotropic medications, when considering patients in aggregate as well as when stratifying by illness subtype (bipolar I versus bipolar II) and by illness onset age (≤21 vs. >21 years). However, there was no significant difference in rate of antidepressant prescription between the two samples considered in aggregate.

CONCLUSIONS

Although possessing similar illness durations, these samples presented significant clinical differences and distinctive prescription patterns. Thus, though the Argentinian compared to North American patients had more unfavorable demographics, they presented a better social outcome and, in several substantive ways, more favorable illness characteristics. In both samples, early onset (age ≤ 21 years) was a marker for poor prognosis throughout the illness course, although this phenomenon appeared more robust in North America.

A diagnosis of bipolar spectrum disorder predicts diagnostic conversion from unipolar depression to bipolar disorder: a 5-year retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The major aims of this study were to identify factors that may predict the diagnostic conversion from major depressive disorder (MDD) to bipolar disorder (BP) and to evaluate the predictive performance of the bipolar spectrum disorder (BPSD) diagnostic criteria.

METHODS

The medical records of 250 patients with a diagnosis of MDD for at least 5 years were retrospectively reviewed for this study.

RESULTS

The diagnostic conversion from MDD to BP was observed in 18.4% of 250 MDD patients, and the diagnostic criteria for BPSD predicted this conversion with high sensitivity (0.870) and specificity (0.917). A family history of BP, antidepressant-induced mania/hypomania, brief major depressive episodes, early age of onset, antidepressant wear-off, and antidepressant resistance were also independent predictors of this conversion.

LIMITATIONS

This study was conducted using a retrospective design and did not include structured diagnostic interviews.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic criteria for BPSD were highly predictive of the conversion from MDD to BP, and conversion was associated with several clinical features of BPSD. Thus, the BPSD diagnostic criteria may be useful for the prediction of bipolar diathesis in MDD patients.

Features preceding diagnosis of bipolar versus major depressive disorders

BACKGROUND

Better and earlier predictive differentiation of bipolar (BD) vs. unipolar major depressive disorder (UD) diagnoses should improve long-term clinical planning.

METHODS

We reviewed randomly selected clinical records of 334 adults diagnosed with DSM-IV-TR BD-I (n=109), BD-II (n=106), and UD (n=119) and compared features preceding major affective episodes or diagnoses, using bivariate, multivariate, and Bayesian methods.

RESULTS

We identified antecedents selectively associated with later BD vs. UD in 52.6% vs. 31.1% of subjects in childhood, starting at age 7.4 years, and 60.0% vs. 32.8% in adolescence, with far more features in BD than UD cases (10.3 vs. 4.64/100 person-years; p<0.001). In multivariate modeling, BD-selective factors were: younger at first clinical event > male sex > family BD-history > cyclothymic or hyperthymic temperament > antecedents/person-year. Nonaffective (anxiety, eating, or substance-use) disorders preceded BD vs. UD in 41.4% vs. 28.6% of subjects (p=0.02). By ROC analysis, differential prediction of BD vs. UD was optimal with any ≥ 3 factors/person.

LIMITATIONS

The validity and timing of antecedent events and factors identified retrospectively from clinical records could not be verified independently, but information was recorded systematically and consistently by a single mood-disorder expert prior to diagnosis, and extracted by two independent observers.

COMMENT

Early clinical features distinguished later BD from UD, often by years. Such prediction should improve treatment-planning and limit risk of mood-switching.

Can manic switches be predicted in pediatric major depression? A systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

The rate of switching from major depression to bipolar disorder is high in children. Predicting who is at risk for switching poses unique challenges and is of high clinical relevance. Our aim was to examine the existing scientific literature elucidating if certain clinical correlates predict ultimate bipolar switches in children initially presenting with a depressive episode.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature search of studies assessing the risk factors for bipolar switching in youth. In all, seven studies fit our a priori criteria and were thus included in our qualitative review.

RESULTS

Together, these papers found that manic switches in pediatric depression can be predicted by several risk factors, including positive family history of mood disorders, emotional and behavioral dysregulation, subthreshold mania, and psychosis.

LIMITATIONS

We identified only seven prospective informative studies for our review. The majority of subjects included in these studies were referred and Caucasian. Thus, the results may not generalize to other community samples and other ethnicities.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings can help alert clinicians of the risk of manic switches.

Commingling analysis of age-of-onset in bipolar I disorder and the morbid risk for major psychoses in first degree relatives of bipolar I probands

BACKGROUND

Age-of-onset (AO) is increasingly used in molecular genetics of bipolar I disorder (BP-I) as a phenotypic specifier with the goal of reducing genetic heterogeneity. However, questions regarding the cut-off age for defining early onset (EO), as well as the number of onset groups characterizing BP-I have emerged over the last decade with no definite conclusion. The aims of this paper are: 1) to see whether a mixture of three distributions better describes the AO of BP-I than a mixture of two distributions in different independent samples; 2) to compare the morbid risk (MR) for BP-I and for major affective disorders and schizophrenia in first degree relatives of BP-I probands by proband onset group derived from commingling analysis, since the MR to relatives is a trait with strong genetic background.

METHODS

We applied commingling (admixture) analysis to the AO of three BP-I samples from Romania (n=621), Germany (n=882), and Poland (n=354). Subsequently, the morbid risk (MR) for BP-I and for major psychoses (BP-I, BP-II, Mdd-UP, schizoaffective disorders, schizophrenia) was estimated in first degree relatives by proband AO-group derived from admixture analysis in the Romanian sample.

RESULTS

In the three independent samples and in the combined sample two- and three-AO-group distributions fitted the empirical data equally well. The upper EO limit varied between 21 and 25 years from sample to sample. The MR for both BP-I and for all major psychoses was similar in first degree relatives of EO probands (AO≤21) and in relatives of intermediate-onset probands (AO=22-34). Significant MR differences appeared only when comparing the EO group to the late-onset (LO) group (AO>34). Similar to Mdd-UP and schizophrenia, a significant MR decrease in proband first degree relatives was visible after proband AO of 34 years. Under the three-AO-group classification the MR for both BP-I and all major psychoses in first degree relatives did not differ by relative sex in any proband AO-group. Under the two-AO-group classification female relatives of LO probands (AO>24) had a significantly higher MR for all major psychoses than male relatives, while there was no sex difference for the relatives of EO probands.

LIMITATIONS

MR was not computed in the German and Polish samples because family data were not available and 34% of the relatives of the Romanian probands were not available for direct interview.

CONCLUSION

Similar to other clinical traits, the MR for major psychoses to relatives failed to support a three-AO-group classification in BP-I suggesting that this is not more useful for the molecular analysis than a two-AO-group classification.

Substance use disorders in hospitalized psychiatric patients: the experience of one psychiatric emergency service in Turin

In the present study we sought: 1) to estimate the frequency of substance use disorders (SUD), and 2) to investigate whether there is a mere association between diagnosis and SUD in a large cohort of patients with severe psychiatric disorders representative of the usual setting and modality of care of a psychiatric emergency service in a geographically well-defined catchment area in Italy, independent of sociodemographic features, anamnestic data and clinical status. The study was conducted between January 2007 and December 2008. The following rating scales were performed: the Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S), the Global Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Factors found to be associated (p<0.05) with SUD[+] in the univariate analyses were subjected to multilevel logistic regression model with a backward stepwise procedure. Among 848 inpatients of our sample 29.1% had a SUD codiagnosis. Eleven factors accounted for 30.6% of the variability in SUD[+]: [a] a Personality Disorder diagnosis, [b] a Depressive Disorder diagnosis, [c] male gender, [d] previous outpatient contacts, [e] single marital status, [f] no previous psychiatric treatments, [g] younger age, [h] lower scores for BPRS Anxiety-depression and [i] BPRS Thought Disturbance, [l] higher scores for BPRS Activation and [m] BPRS Hostile-suspiciousness. The findings are important in identifying (1) the complexity of the clinical presentation of SUD in a inpatients sample, (2) the need for collaboration among health care workers, and (3) the need to develop and apply treatment programs that are targeted at particular risk groups.

Bipolar II disorder in patients with a current diagnosis of recurrent depression

OBJECTIVES

The prevalence of bipolar II disorder (BD-II) in Russia has never been studied. Therefore, we sought to identify patients meeting diagnostic criteria for BD-II among patients with a current diagnosis of recurrent depressive disorder (RDD) through the use of the Russian versions of the Hypomania Checklist (HCL-32) and Bipolarity Index scales for differentiating between BD-II and RDD.

METHODS

In a non-interventional diagnostic study, we selected 409 patients aged between 18 and 65 years from two medical settings with (i) a current diagnosis of RDD, (ii) an illness duration of at least three years, and (iii) at least two affective episodes. The diagnosis was based on clinical assessment and confirmed by the Russian version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. All patients were assessed by the HCL-32, the Bipolarity Index, and the Personal and Social Performance Scale.

RESULTS

Among patients with a current diagnosis of RDD, 40.8% had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (bipolar I disorder: 4.9%; BD-II: 35.9%). The average time lag from onset to a correct diagnosis of BD-II was 15 years and patients were treated only with antidepressants. The sensitivity of the Russian version of the HCL-32 at the optimal cutoff point (≥14.0) was 83.7%, and its specificity was 71.9%. The Bipolarity Index showed significant differences between the total scores of the patients with BD-II and RDD (31.8 versus 20.2; p < 0.0001). The optimal threshold was ≥22.0 (sensitivity 73.5%; specificity 72.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

In Russia, diagnostic errors are an important cause of the non-detection of bipolar disorder, particularly BD-II. The Russian version of the HCL-32 and the Bipolarity Index, as additional tools, could be useful for bipolarity screening.

Associations between depression severity and purinergic receptor P2RX7 gene polymorphisms

BACKGROUND

Major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BPD) have significant genetic predisposition. The P2RX7 gene (coding for P2X7 purinergic receptor) has been suggested as a susceptibility gene for both MDD and BPD. In the current study the genetic effects of rs2230912 (Gln460Arg) and rs1653625 (located in the 3' untranslated region of the P2RX7 gene) were explored in mood disorders.

METHODS

Genotype frequencies were established in 315 patients (195 with MDD and 120 with BPD diagnosis) and in 373 controls. Depression severity was assessed by the clinician-rated Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and by the self-report Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

RESULTS

In the case-control analysis we did not find any significant differences between genotype frequencies of either BPD or MDD cases and controls. However, BPD patients carrying at least one rs2230912G-allele scored higher on both MADRS and HADS-depression scale (nominal p-value was 0.028 and 0.003, respectively). The rs1653625AA genotype was also associated with higher depression scores in the BPD group (nominal p-value of MADRS: 0.019, HADS-depression: 0.017). After correction for multiple testing, the association between rs2230912 and HADS-depression score remained significant in the BPD group (p<0.006); this genetic effect explained 9% of the variance (partial η(2)=0.09). In the MDD group we did not find any significant genetic effect.

LIMITATIONS

The relatively small number of BPD patients warrants for a replication study.

CONCLUSIONS

Our genetic association study supports the association between P2RX7 gene and severity of depressive symptoms in BPD patients.

Antidepressant-associated mood-switching and transition from unipolar major depression to bipolar disorder: a review

OBJECTIVES

Compare reported rates of mood-shifts from major depression to mania/hypomania/mixed-states during antidepressant (AD)-treatment and rates of diagnostic change from major depressive disorder (MDD) to bipolar disorder (BPD).

METHODS

Searching computerized literature databases, followed by summary analyses.

RESULTS

In 51 reports of patients diagnosed with MDD and treated with an AD, the overall risk of mood-switching was 8.18% (7837/95,786) within 2.39 ± 2.99 years of treatment, or 3.42 (95% CI: 3.34-3.50) %/year. Risk was 2.6 (CI: 2.5-2.8) times greater with/without AD-treatment by meta-analysis of 10 controlled trials. Risk increased with time up to 24 months of treatment, with no secular change (1968-2012). Incidence rates were 4.5 (CI: 4.1-4.8)-times greater among juveniles than adults (5.62/1.26 %/year; p<0.0001). In 12 studies the overall rate of new BPD-diagnoses was 3.29% (1928/56,754) within 5.38 years (0.61 [0.58-0.64] %/year), or 5.6-times lower (3.42/0.61) than annualized rates of mood-switching.

CONCLUSIONS

AD-treatment was associated with new mania-like responses in 8.18% of patients diagnosed with unipolar MDD. Contributions to mood-switching due to unrecognized BPD versus mood-elevating pharmacological effects, as well as quantitative associations between switching and later diagnosis of BPD not associated with AD-treatment remain uncertain.

LIMITATIONS

Rates and definitions of mood-switching with ADs varied greatly, exposure-times rarely were precisely defined, and there was little information on predictive associations between mood-switches and BPD-diagnosis.

Evidence-based options for treatment-resistant adult bipolar disorder patients

OBJECTIVES

Many patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD) respond incompletely or unsatisfactorily to available treatments. Given the potentially devastating nature of this prevalent disorder, there is a pressing need to improve clinical care of such patients.

METHODS

We performed a literature review of the research findings related to treatment-resistant BD reported through February 2012.

RESULTS

Therapeutic trials for treatment-resistant bipolar mania are uncommon, and provide few promising leads other than the use of clozapine. Far more pressing challenges are the depressive-dysthymic-dysphoric-mixed phases of BD and long-term prophylaxis. Therapeutic trials for treatment-resistant bipolar depression have assessed anticonvulsants, modern antipsychotics, glutamate [N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)] antagonists, dopamine agonists, calcium-channel blockers, and thyroid hormones, as well as behavioral therapy, sleep deprivation, light therapy, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation, and deep brain stimulation-all of which are promising but limited in effectiveness. Several innovative pharmacological treatments (an anticholinesterase, a glutamine antagonist, a calcium-channel blocker, triiodothyronine, olanzapine and topiramate), ECT, and cognitive-behavior therapy have some support for long-term treatment of resistant BD patients, but most of trials of these treatments have been methodologically limited.

CONCLUSIONS

Most studies identified were small, involved supplementation of typically complex ongoing treatments, varied in controls, randomization, and blinding, usually involved brief follow-up, and lacked replication. Clearer criteria for defining and predicting treatment resistance in BD are needed, as well as improved trial design with better controls, assessment of specific clinical subgroups, and longer follow-up.

[Age at Onset as a Marker of Subtypes of Manic-Depressive Illness]

INTRODUCTION

Age at onset of bipolar disorder has been reported as a variable that may be associated with different clinical subtypes.

OBJECTIVE

To identify patterns in the distributions of age at onset of bipolar disease and to determine whether age at onset is associated with specific clinical characteristics.

METHODS

Admixture analysis was applied to identify bipolar disorder subtypes according to age at onset. The EMUN scale was used to evaluate clinical characteristics and principal components were estimated to evaluate the relationship between subtypes according to age at onset and symptoms in the acute in the acute phase, using multivariable analyses.

RESULTS

According to age at onset, three distributions have been found: early onset: 17.7 years (S.D. 2.4); intermediate-onset: 23.9 years (S.D. 5.6); late onset: 42.8 years (S.D. 12.1). The late-onset group is antisocial, with depressive symptoms, thinking and language disorders, and socially disruptive behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients having bipolar disorder, age at onset is antisocial with three groups having specific clinical characteristics.

Age at onset versus family history and clinical outcomes in 1,665 international bipolar-I disorder patients

Early onset in bipolar disorder (BPD) has been associated with greater familial risk and unfavorable clinical outcomes. We pooled data from seven international centers to analyze the relationships of family history and symptomatic as well as functional measures of adult morbidity to onset age, or onset in childhood (age <12), adolescence (12-18), or adulthood (19-55 years). In 1,665 adult, DSM-IV BPD-I patients, onset was 5% in childhood, 28% in adolescence, and 53% at peak ages 15-25. Adolescent and adult onset did not differ by symptomatic morbidity (episodes/year, percentage of months ill, co-morbidity, hospitalization, suicide attempts) or family history. Indications of favorable adult functional outcomes (employment, living independently, marriage and children, and a composite measure including education) ranked, by onset: adult > adolescent > child. Onset in childhood versus adolescence had more episodes/year and more psychiatric co-morbidity. Family history was most prevalent with childhood onset, similar over onset ages 12-40 years, and fell sharply thereafter. Multivariate modeling sustained the impression that family history and poor functional, but not symptomatic, outcomes were associated with younger, especially childhood onset. Early onset was more related to poor functional outcomes than greater symptomatic morbidity, with least favorable outcomes and greater family history with childhood onset.

Reproduction among 1975 Sardinian women and men diagnosed with major mood disorders

OBJECTIVE

Disability varies in patients with major affective disorders [type I and II bipolar disorders (BPD) and recurrent unipolar major depressive disorder (UP-MDD)]. It may include reproductive functioning, which has rarely been studied systematically.

METHOD

We compared information acquired over several years pertaining to marital/reproductive status among 1975 systematically evaluated, treated, and followed women (n = 1351) and men (n = 624) diagnosed with DSM-IV type I (n = 300) or II BPD (n = 223), or MDD (n = 1452). We compared factors between patients with vs. without children and associated with fertility rate (children/fertile years × 100), using standard bivariate methods followed by multivariate modeling.

RESULTS

Childless patients were younger at illness onset, more likely men, diagnosed with type I BPD, more educated, and unmarried, but similar in many aspects of clinical history to those with children. Fertility rate ranked: BP-I < BP-II ≤ MDD, and men < women. Mood-disorder patients had 17% fewer children/person than in the comparable general population of Sardinia. Among mood-disorder patients, fertility appeared to decline in Sardinia in recent decades, more in men than women.

CONCLUSION

Type I BPD was associated with lower fertility than BP-II or UP-MDD, consistent with their relatively high levels of other disabilities.