R M Post1, L Altshuler2, R Kupka3, S McElroy4, M A Frye5, M Rowe6, G S Leverich7, H Grunze8, T Suppes9, P E Keck10, W A Nolen11. 1. Bipolar Collaborative Network, 5415 W. Cedar Ln, Suite 201-B, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., United States. Electronic address: Robert.post@speakeasy.net. 2. UCLA Mood Disorders Research Program, VA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States. 3. Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands. 4. Lindner Center of HOPE Mason, OH, United States; Biological Psychiatry Program, University of Cincinnati Medical College, Cincinnati, OH, United States. 5. Psychiatry, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MI, United States. 6. Biostatistician, Bipolar Collaborative Network, Bethesda, MD, United States. 7. Bipolar Collaborative Network, 5415 W. Cedar Ln, Suite 201-B, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States. 8. Institute of Neuroscience, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle, United Kingdom. 9. Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, United States. 10. Psychiatry & Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Lindner Center of HOPE Mason, OH, United States. 11. University Medical Center, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is some controversy but growing evidence that childhood onset bipolar disorder may be more prevalent and run a more difficult course in the United States than some European countries. METHODS: We update and synthesize course of illness data from more than 960 outpatients with bipolar disorder (average age 40) from 4 sites in the U.S. and 3 sites in Netherlands and Germany. After giving informed consent, patients reported on parental history, childhood and lifetime stressors, comorbidities, and illness characteristics. RESULTS: Almost all aspects of bipolar disorder were more adverse in patients from the US compared with Europe, including a significantly higher prevalence of: bipolar disorder in one parent and a mood disorder in both parents; childhood verbal, physical, or sexual abuse; stressors in the year prior to illness onset and the last episode; childhood onsets of bipolar illness; delay to first treatment; anxiety disorder, substance abuse, and medical comorbidity; mood episodes and rapid cycling; and nonresponse to prospective naturalistic treatment. LIMITATIONS: Selection bias in the recruit of patients cannot be ruled out, but convergent data in the literature suggest that this does not account for the findings. Potential mechanisms for the early onset and more adverse course in the U.S. have not been adequately delineated and require further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest the need for earlier and more effective long-term treatment intervention in an attempt to ameliorate this adverse course and its associated heavy burden of psychiatric and medical morbidity.
BACKGROUND: There is some controversy but growing evidence that childhood onset bipolar disorder may be more prevalent and run a more difficult course in the United States than some European countries. METHODS: We update and synthesize course of illness data from more than 960 outpatients with bipolar disorder (average age 40) from 4 sites in the U.S. and 3 sites in Netherlands and Germany. After giving informed consent, patients reported on parental history, childhood and lifetime stressors, comorbidities, and illness characteristics. RESULTS: Almost all aspects of bipolar disorder were more adverse in patients from the US compared with Europe, including a significantly higher prevalence of: bipolar disorder in one parent and a mood disorder in both parents; childhood verbal, physical, or sexual abuse; stressors in the year prior to illness onset and the last episode; childhood onsets of bipolar illness; delay to first treatment; anxiety disorder, substance abuse, and medical comorbidity; mood episodes and rapid cycling; and nonresponse to prospective naturalistic treatment. LIMITATIONS: Selection bias in the recruit of patients cannot be ruled out, but convergent data in the literature suggest that this does not account for the findings. Potential mechanisms for the early onset and more adverse course in the U.S. have not been adequately delineated and require further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest the need for earlier and more effective long-term treatment intervention in an attempt to ameliorate this adverse course and its associated heavy burden of psychiatric and medical morbidity.
Authors: Robert M Post; Lori L Altshuler; Gabriele S Leverich; Willem A Nolen; Ralph Kupka; Heinz Grunze; Mark A Frye; Trisha Suppes; Susan L McElroy; Paul E Keck; Mike Rowe Journal: Prim Care Companion CNS Disord Date: 2014-12-18
Authors: Robert M Post; Lori L Altshuler; Ralph Kupka; Susan L McElroy; Mark A Frye; Michael Rowe; Heinz Grunze; Trisha Suppes; Paul E Keck; Willem A Nolen Journal: Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Date: 2018-08-11 Impact factor: 5.270
Authors: Xavier Estrada-Prat; Anna R Van Meter; Ester Camprodon-Rosanas; Santiago Batlle-Vila; Benjamin I Goldstein; Boris Birmaher Journal: Bipolar Disord Date: 2019-05-15 Impact factor: 6.744
Authors: Esther Mesman; Boris B Birmaher; Benjamin I Goldstein; Tina Goldstein; Eske M Derks; Marloes Vleeschouwer; Mary Beth Hickey; David Axelson; Kelly Monk; Rasim Diler; Danella Hafeman; Dara J Sakolsky; Catrien G Reichart; Marjolein Wals; Frank C Verhulst; Willem A Nolen; Manon H J Hillegers Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2016-06-11 Impact factor: 4.839
Authors: Wendela G Ter Meulen; Jan van Zaane; Stasja Draisma; Aartjan T F Beekman; Ralph W Kupka Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2017-05-15 Impact factor: 3.630