F Cassidy1, E Ahearn, B J Carroll. 1. Duke-Umstead Bipolar Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3414, Durham, NC 27710, USA. cassi002@mc.duke.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Few studies have compared symptom presentations across manic or mixed episodes in manic-depressive patients. METHODS: In the current study we report on symptom presentations of 68 prospectively-evaluated subjects diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder during two discrete manic or mixed episodes. Each episode was categorized using DSM-IIIR criteria for Bipolar Disorder, manic or mixed, as well as a less restrictive definition for manic and mixed states derived from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of symptoms. RESULTS: The occurrence of mixed bipolar episodes was not random using either the DSM-IIIR or ROC-derived definitions of mixed episodes. LIMITATIONS: Subjects were not all fully medication-free at the time of evaluation which may have altered symptom presentation. The total duration of the study was limited, with the longest inter-episode interval under 6 years. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was variability in mixed symptomatology between episodes, the occurrence of mixed episodes was not random. Manic and mixed episodes tend to recur true to type.
BACKGROUND: Few studies have compared symptom presentations across manic or mixed episodes in manic-depressivepatients. METHODS: In the current study we report on symptom presentations of 68 prospectively-evaluated subjects diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder during two discrete manic or mixed episodes. Each episode was categorized using DSM-IIIR criteria for Bipolar Disorder, manic or mixed, as well as a less restrictive definition for manic and mixed states derived from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of symptoms. RESULTS: The occurrence of mixed bipolar episodes was not random using either the DSM-IIIR or ROC-derived definitions of mixed episodes. LIMITATIONS: Subjects were not all fully medication-free at the time of evaluation which may have altered symptom presentation. The total duration of the study was limited, with the longest inter-episode interval under 6 years. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was variability in mixed symptomatology between episodes, the occurrence of mixed episodes was not random. Manic and mixed episodes tend to recur true to type.
Authors: Alan C Swann; F Gerard Moeller; Joel L Steinberg; Laurie Schneider; Ernest S Barratt; Donald M Dougherty Journal: Bipolar Disord Date: 2007-05 Impact factor: 6.744