Seasonal Variation in Bipolar Disorder

1996 ◽  
Vol 169 (5) ◽  
pp. 641-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo Partonen ◽  
Jouko Lönnqvist
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Psychiatric Hospitals ◽  
Manic Episode ◽  
Patient Admissions ◽  
Bipolar Patients ◽  
Depressive Episodes ◽  
First Admission

BackgroundIn patients with bipolar disorder, admissions for manic and depressive episodes frequently display a seasonal pattern. We examined this variation and compared the patterns with the seasonal admission rates for schizophrenia.MethodPatients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia were identified from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register of in-patient admissions to all psychiatric hospitals during the years 1969–91. They were included in the analysis if the first admission had occurred before 30 years of age. A total of 295 bipolar patients were found and a sample of 295 schizophrenic patients was randomly selected for comparison.ResultsThere was no seasonal variation among all hospital admissions for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia However, the first admission for a depressive compared with a manic episode of bipolar disorder occurred significantly more often in the autumn (33% v. 21% respectively). The peak difference occurred during the week after the autumnal equinox in September.ConclusionOur findings suggest that there is no seasonal variation in bipolar disorder, although in some patients the clinical course might be influenced by the autumn, as far as the likelihood of a first admission for depression is concerned.

Baseline and prodromal characteristics of first- versus multiple-episode mania in a French cohort of bipolar patients

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 557-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-M. Azorin ◽  
A. Kaladjian ◽  
M. Adida ◽  
E. Fakra ◽  
E. Hantouche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Correct Diagnosis ◽  
Manic Episode ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Prodromal Phase ◽  
Multiple Episode ◽  
Patients At Risk ◽  
Bipolar Patients

AbstractObjective:To identify some of the main features of bipolar disorder for both first-episode (FE) mania and the preceding prodromal phase, in order to increase earlier recognition.Methods:One thousand and ninety manic patients (FE=81, multiple-episodes [ME]=1009) were assessed for clinical and temperamental characteristics.Results:Compared to ME, FE patients reported more psychotic and less depressive symptoms but were comparable with respect to temperamental measures and comorbid anxiety. The following independent variables were associated with FE mania: a shorter delay before correct diagnosis, greater substance use, being not divorced, greater stressors before current mania, a prior diagnosis of an anxiety disorder, lower levels of depression during index manic episode, and more suicide attempts in the past year.Conclusion:In FE patients, the diagnosis of mania may be overlooked, as they present with more psychotic symptoms than ME patients. The prodromal phase is characterised by high levels of stress, suicide attempts, anxiety disorders and alcohol or substance abuse. Data suggest to consider these prodromes as harmful consequences of temperamental predispositions to bipolar disorder that may concur to precipitate mania onset. Their occurrence should therefore incite clinicians to screen for the presence of such predispositions, in order to identify patients at risk of FE mania.

scholarly journals Age at onset, course of illness and response to psychotherapy in bipolar disorder: results from the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD)

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (16) ◽  
pp. 3455-3467 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Peters ◽  
L. G. Sylvia ◽  
P. V. da Silva Magalhães ◽  
D. J. Miklowitz ◽  
E. Frank ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Collaborative Care ◽  
Bipolar Depression ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Number Needed To Treat ◽  
Systematic Treatment ◽  
Illness Duration ◽  
Bipolar Patients ◽  
Depressive Episodes ◽  
Intensive Psychotherapy

Background.The course of bipolar disorder progressively worsens in some patients. Although responses to pharmacotherapy appear to diminish with greater chronicity, less is known about whether patients' prior courses of illness are related to responses to psychotherapy.Method.Embedded in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) was a randomized controlled trial of psychotherapy for bipolar depression comparing the efficacy of intensive psychotherapy with collaborative care (a three-session psycho-educational intervention). We assessed whether the number of previous mood episodes, age of illness onset, and illness duration predicted or moderated the likelihood of recovery and time until recovery from a depressive episode in patients in the two treatments.Results.Independently of treatment condition, participants with one to nine prior depressive episodes were more likely to recover and had faster time to recovery than those with 20 or more prior depressive episodes. Participants with fewer than 20 prior manic episodes had faster time to recovery than those with 20 or more episodes. Longer illness duration predicted a longer time to recovery. Participants were more likely to recover in intensive psychotherapy than collaborative care if they had 10–20 prior episodes of depression [number needed to treat (NNT) = 2.0], but equally likely to respond to psychotherapy and collaborative care if they had one to nine (NNT = 32.0) or >20 (NNT = 9.0) depressive episodes.Conclusions.Number of previous mood episodes and illness duration are associated with the likelihood and speed of recovery among bipolar patients receiving psychosocial treatments for depression.

scholarly journals Cognitive impact in bipolar disorder

2019 ◽  
pp. 052-058
Author(s):  
Bourin Michel
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Visual Memory ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Cognitive Difficulties ◽  
Speed Of Information Processing ◽  
History Of ◽  
Bipolar Patients ◽  
Disability Severity ◽  
Depressive Episodes

It appears that bipolar patients suffer from cognitive difficulties whereas they are in period of thymic stability. These intercritical cognitive difficulties are fairly stable and their severity is correlated with the functional outcome of patients. Nevertheless, the profile of cognitive impairment varies significantly from study to study quantitatively and qualitatively. According to the studies, the authors find difficulties in terms of learning, verbal memory, visual memory, working memory, sustained attention, speed of information processing, functions executive. On the other hand, deficits of general intelligence, motor functions, selective attention, and language are not usually found. One of the reasons for the heterogeneity of results is the difficulty of exploring cognition in bipolar disorder. Many factors must be taken into account, such as the presence of residual mood symptoms, the longitudinal history of the disorder (age of onset, number of episodes due, among others, the neurotoxic impact of depressive episodes and deleterious cognitive effects). (length of hospitalization), level of disability severity, comorbidities (particularly addictive).

The Expanding Role of Antipsychotics

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (S1) ◽  
pp. 7-12
Author(s):  
Philip G. Janicak
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Manic Episode ◽  
Acute Mania ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Primary Therapy ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Stabilizing Agent ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Bipolar Patients

Antipsychotics have been utilized in the treatment of bipolar disorder for many decades and were the mainstay of treatment before lithium was reintroduced in the late 1960s. Today, many bipolar patients who present with psychotic features are misdiagnosed and prescribed an antipsychotic for another disorder. Estimates of psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder, particularly during a manic episode, are ≥50% by clinical assessment and even higher by individual reports. Thus, antipsychotics are frequently used: as first treatment for psychosis not recognized as bipolar disorder, and as an adjunct to a mood-stabilizing agent in bipolars with psychotic symptoms.Most recently, antipsychotics have been examined for their mood-stabilizing properties as well (Slide 9). One may conceptualize using a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant for disorders such as panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder, and using an antiepileptic as a mood-stabilizing agent; however, it is more difficult to accept that an agent approved for treatment of psychosis can be a primary therapy for bipolar disorder. Data from the monotherapy trials suggest that second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are at least as effective as lithium and valproic acid for acute mania. There is a very large database indicating that SGAs can be utilized as monotherapy for acute mania. However, there is limited data on the role of these agents in prevention of relapse and recurrence and in their efficacy for depression in the context of bipolar disorder. More studies will be needed to clarify whether SGAs should be used as monotherapy or whether they would be best used as augmenting agents in severe and psychotically manic or depressed patients.

Seasonal Variation In the Occurrence of Venous Thromboembolism In Canada

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 5120-5120
Author(s):  
Dimple Kondal ◽  
Vicky Tagalakis ◽  
Antonio Ciampi ◽  
Susan Kahn
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Venous Thromboembolism ◽  
Research Funding ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Discharge Diagnosis ◽  
Discharge Data ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Abstract 5120 Background. The evidence in support of a seasonal variation in the occurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is conflicting and based on studies of mostly small or moderate size, often single centered and moreover, have never included data from Canada which has clearly-defined seasons with wide temperature differences between winter and summer months. Objectives. We used discharge data from a population-level hospital registry to assess the occurrence of a seasonal pattern in hospital admissions with VTE (deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE)), DVT alone and PE alone in the province of Quebec, Canada. Methods. Using data from the province of Quebec's hospital discharge database (Med-Echo) which systematically records information on all hospital admissions in Quebec since 1967, we constructed a retrospective cohort of all individuals who had a first-time discharge diagnosis of DVT or PE between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2004 and no prior discharge diagnosis for DVT or PE back to 1983. DVT and PE were defined based on the International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition, Clinical Modification. VTE cases were grouped according to season and month of occurrence, and statistical significance of seasonal variation was determined using the Edwards' and Walter & Elwood test. Results. The cohort comprised of 45,588 (26,076 (57%) women and 19,512 (43%) men) admitted patients with incident VTE. The mean age was 62.5 years (SD 17.6) and 26,537 (58%) patients had DVT alone, 12,758 (28%) had PE alone and 6,239 (14%) had DVT with PE. Data by season showed a statistically significant difference with the lowest proportion of hospital VTE admissions in summer months (24.1%) and highest in winter (25.9%) months (p<0.0001). Seasonal variation in number of admissions by month was statistically significant for PE alone (p=0.0084; adjusted for total number of monthly hospital admissions for the Quebec province) with peak occurrence in November-December. There was no seasonal variation in monthly VTE (p=0.12) and DVT alone (p=0.87) admissions. Conclusion. Our large-scale population study provides evidence that in Quebec, Canada there is a seasonal variation in PE hospital admissions with an annual autumn peak. The underlying pathophysiologyic mechanisms are unknown and deserve further study. Disclosures: Tagalakis: Pfizer: Research Funding; Sanofi Aventis: Honoraria. Kahn:Sigvaris: Research Funding; sanofi-aventis: Advisory Board, Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim:.

Psychoeducation: improving outcomes in bipolar disorder

2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 359-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesc Colom ◽  
Dominic Lam
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Health Beliefs ◽  
Relapse Prevention ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Bipolar Affective Disorder ◽  
Mood Stabilizers ◽  
Psychological Interventions ◽  
Bipolar Patients ◽  
Depressive Episodes ◽  
Positive Results

AbstractBackgroundA relevant paradigm shift in the treatment of bipolar disorder started a few years ago; crucial findings on the usefulness of psychological interventions clearly support switching from an exclusively pharmacological therapeutic approach to a combined yet hierarchical model in which pharmacotherapy plays a central role, but psychological interventions may help cover the gap that exists between theoretical efficacy and “real world” effectiveness. Hereby we review the efficacy of several adjunctive psychotherapies in the maintenance treatment of bipolar patients.MethodsA systematic review of the literature on the issue was performed, using MEDLINE and CURRENT CONTENTS databases. “Bipolar”, “Psychotherapy”, “Psychoeducation”, “Cognitive-behavioral” and “Relapse prevention” were entered as keywords.ResultsPsychological treatments specifically designed for relapse prevention in bipolar affective disorder are useful tools in conjunction with mood stabilizers. Most of the psychotherapy studies recently published report positive results on maintenance as an add-on treatment, and efficacy on the treatment of depressive episodes. Interestingly, several groups from all over the world reported similar positive results and reached very similar conclusions; almost every intervention tested contains important psychoeducative elements including both compliance enhancement and early identification of prodromal signs — stressing the importance of life-style regularity — and exploring patients' health beliefs and illness-awareness.ConclusionsThe usefulness of psychotherapy for improving treatment adherence and clinical outcome of bipolar patients is nowadays unquestionable, and future treatment guidelines should promote its regular use amongst clinicians. As clinicians, it is our major duty, to offer the best treatment available to our patients and this includes both evidence-based psychoeducation programs and newer pharmacological agents.

scholarly journals The Use of Cannabis as a Predictor of Early Onset of Bipolar Disorder and Suicide Attempts

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafaela Torres Portugal Leite ◽  
Sarah de Oliveira Nogueira ◽  
João Paulo Rodrigues do Nascimento ◽  
Laisa Soares de Lima ◽  
Taís Bastos da Nóbrega ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Prognostic Significance ◽  
Manic Episode ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Bipolar Patients

Introduction. Bipolar disorder (BD) implies risk of suicide. The age at onset (AAO) of BD carries prognostic significance. Substance abuse may precede the onset of BD and cannabis is the most common illicit drug used. The main goal of this study is to review the association of cannabis use as a risk factor for early onset of BD and for suicide attempts.Materials and Methods. PubMed database was searched for articles using key words “bipolar disorder,” “suicide attempts,” “cannabis,” “marijuana,” “early age at onset,” and “early onset.”Results. The following percentages in bipolar patients were found: suicide attempts 3.6–42%; suicide attempts and substance use 5–60%; suicide attempts and cannabis use 15–42%. An early AAO was associated with cannabis misuse. The mean age of the first manic episode in individuals with and without BD and cannabis use disorder (CUD) was 19.5 and 25.1 years, respectively. The first depressive episode was at 18.5 and 24.4 years, respectively. Individuals misusing cannabis showed increased risk of suicide.Discussion. Cannabis use is associated with increased risk of suicide attempts and with early AAO. However, the effect of cannabis at the AAO and suicide attempts is not clear.

scholarly journals Treatment Choices in Women with Bipolar Disorder Seeking Pregnancy: A Clinical Case Illustration

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corrado Barbui ◽  
Andrea Bertolazzi ◽  
Batul Hanife ◽  
Andrea Cipriani
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Maintenance Treatment ◽  
Clinical Case ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
Family Doctor ◽  
Manic Episode ◽  
Risk Of Recurrence ◽  
Treatment Choices ◽  
The Past

After ten years of successful maintenance treatment with lithium and olanzapine, a 40-year-old woman with bipolar disorder expressed concerns about continuing the use of medicines, as she was planning a pregnancy. In the past, she had suffered from five severe manic episodes with hospital admissions. After consultations with the treating psychiatrist, gynaecologist, and family doctor, olanzapine was stopped and lithium was gradually withdrawn. After few months, the patient, still in treatment with lithium 300 mg/die, experienced a new manic episode with hospital admission. Treatment with lithium and olanzapine was restored, and she progressively recovered. This case suggests that the risk of manic recurrence after ten years of maintenance treatment may be as high as the well-known risk of recurrence after few years of maintenance treatment, a consideration that doctors may find useful in the light of a complete absence of evidence on treatment choices after five years of successful maintenance treatment.

Psychotic versus non-psychotic bipolar disorder: Socio-demographic and clinical profiles in an Italian nationwide study

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 772-781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Carlo Altamura ◽  
Massimiliano Buoli ◽  
Bruno Mario Cesana ◽  
Andrea Fagiolini ◽  
Andrea de Bartolomeis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Clinical Features ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Age At Onset ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Bipolar Type ◽  
Bipolar Patients ◽  
Depressive Episodes ◽  
First Diagnosis

Objective: Psychotic versus non-psychotic patients with bipolar disorder have been traditionally associated with different unfavorable clinical features. In this study on bipolar Italian patients, we aimed to compare clinical and demographic differences between psychotic and non-psychotic individuals, exploring clinical factors that may favor early diagnosis and personalized treatment. Methods: A total of 1671 patients (males: n = 712 and females: n = 959; bipolar type 1: n = 1038 and bipolar type 2: n = 633) from different psychiatric departments were compared according to the lifetime presence of psychotic symptoms in terms of socio-demographic and clinical variables. Chi-square tests for qualitative variables and Student’s t-tests for quantitative variables were performed for group comparison, and a multivariable logistic regression was performed, considering the lifetime psychotic symptoms as dependent variables and socio-demographic/clinical characteristics as independent variables. Results: Psychotic versus non-psychotic bipolar subjects resulted to: be more frequently unemployed ( p < 0.01) and never married/partnered ( p < 0.01); have an earlier age at onset ( p < 0.01); more frequently receive a first diagnosis different from a mood disorder ( p < 0.01); have a shorter duration of untreated illness ( p < 0.01); have a more frequently hypomanic/manic prevalent polarity ( p < 0.01) and a prevalent manic–depressive type of cycling ( p < 0.01); present a lower lifetime number of depressive episodes ( p < 0.01), but have more manic episodes ( p < 0.01); and less insight ( p < 0.01) and more hospitalizations in the last year ( p < 0.01). Multivariable regression analysis showed that psychotic versus non-psychotic bipolar patients received more frequently a first diagnosis different from bipolar disorder (odds ratio = 0.64, 95% confidence interval = [0.46, 0.90], p = 0.02) or major depressive disorder (odds ratio = 0.66, 95% confidence interval = [0.48, 0.91], p = 0.02), had more frequently a prevalent manic polarity (odds ratio = 1.84, 95% confidence interval = [1.14, 2.98], p < 0.01) and had a higher number of lifetime manic episodes (more than six) (odds ratio = 8.79, 95% confidence interval = [5.93, 13.05], p < 0.01). Conclusion: Lifetime psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder are associated with unfavorable socio-demographic and clinical features as well as with a more frequent initial misdiagnosis.

From Obsessivity to Bipolarity and Vice Versa. A Literature Review

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S494-S494
Author(s):  
P. Cano Ruiz ◽  
S. Cañas Fraile ◽  
A. Gómez Peinado ◽  
P. Sanmartin Salinas
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Depressive Illness ◽  
Bipolar Spectrum ◽  
Manic Depressive Illness ◽  
Bipolar Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Bipolar Patients ◽  
Depressive Episodes

IntroductionThe prevalence of obsessive symptoms in bipolar patients is currently under discussion. Last years, different cases of antidepressant-induced mania and hypomania in patients with OCD have been described.Several authors have reported that patients with OCD and bipolar disorder have more depressive episodes than patients with only OCD.ObjectiveTo know the relationship between OCD and other bipolar spectrum disorders.MethodBibliographical review on comorbidity between obsessive symptoms and bipolarity.ResultsSome longitudinal analysis have shown that patients firstly diagnosed with OCD have an increased risk for subsequent diagnosis of all other conditions, especially for bipolar and schizoaffective disorder, for those whose risk is of up to 13 times higher. The handling of a patient with bipolar disorder and OCD implies some difficulty, because of the main treatment of anxiety disorders, the antidepressants, alters the course of manic-depressive illness, accelerating cycles.ConclusionsOCD is etiologically related to bipolar spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Therefore, it is necessary to continue the investigation of possible involved genes and approaches for clinical practice.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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