Hanna Valtonen

The Mood Disorder Questionnaire improves recognition of bipolar disorder in psychiatric care

BackgroundWe investigated our translation of The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) as a screening instrument for bipolar disorder in a psychiatric setting in Finland.MethodsIn a pilot study for the Jorvi Bipolar Study (JoBS), 109 consecutive non-schizophrenic psychiatric out- and inpatients in Espoo, Finland, were screened for bipolar disorder using the Finnish translation of the MDQ, and 38 of them diagnostically interviewed with the SCID.ResultsForty subjects (37%) were positive in the MDQ screen. In the SCID interview, twenty patients were found to suffer from bipolar disorder, of whom seven (70%) of ten patients with bipolar I but only two (20%) of ten with bipolar II disorder had been previously clinically correctly diagnosed. The translated MDQ was found internally consistent (alpha 0.79) and a feasible screening tool.ConclusionsBipolar disorder, particularly type II, remains commonly unrecognized in psychiatric settings. The Mood Disorder Questionnaire is a feasible screen for bipolar disorder, which could well be integrated into psychiatric routine practice.

Differences in incidence of suicide attempts during phases of bipolar I and II disorders.

BACKGROUND Differences in the incidence of suicide attempts during various phases of bipolar disorder (BD), or the relative importance of static versus time-varying risk factors for overall risk for suicide attempts, are unknown. METHODS We investigated the incidence of suicide attempts in different phases of BD as a part of the Jorvi Bipolar Study (JoBS), a naturalistic, prospective, 18-month study representing psychiatric in- and outpatients with DSM-IV BD in three Finnish cities. Life charts were used to classify time spent in follow-up in the different phases of illness among the 81 BD I and 95 BD II patients. RESULTS Compared to the other phases of the illness, the incidence of suicide attempts was 37-fold higher [95% confidence interval (CI) for relative risk (RR): 11.8-120.3] during combined mixed and depressive mixed states, and 18-fold higher (95% CI: 6.5-50.8) during major depressive phases. In Coxs proportional hazards regression models, combined mixed (mixed or depressive mixed) or major depressive phases and prior suicide attempts independently predicted suicide attempts. No other factor significantly modified the risks related to these time-varying risk factors; their population-attributable fraction was 86%. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of suicide attempts varies remarkably between illness phases, with mixed and depressive phases involving the highest risk by time. Time spent in high-risk illness phases is likely the major determinant of overall risk for suicide attempts among BD patients. Studies of suicidal behavior should investigate the role of both static and time-varying risk factors in overall risk; clinically, management of mixed and depressive phases may be crucial in reducing risk.

Differences in outcome of DSM-IV bipolar I and II disorders.

OBJECTIVES To investigate whether the course of bipolar disorder (BD) type II is more depressive than that of BD I, and, if so, to explore the underlying factors that cause this difference. METHODS In a prospective, naturalistic study of 191 secondary care psychiatric in- and outpatients diagnosed in an acute phase of BD I or II, 160 patients (85.1%) were followed for 18 months. Using a life chart, the exact timing of symptom states in follow-up was examined. Differences between BD I (n = 75) and II (n = 85) in duration of index phase and episode, time to full remission and recurrence, and time in any mood episode were investigated. RESULTS Patients with BD II spent a higher proportion of time ill (47.5% versus 37.7%; p = 0.02) and in depressive symptom states (58.0% versus 41.7%; p = 0.003) than BD I patients. This was a result of the higher proportion (61.7% versus 48.6%; p = 0.03) and mean number (1.69 versus 1.11; p = 0.006) of depressive illness phases in BD II, rather than of differences in the duration of depressive phases. Type of index phase strongly predicted the outcome. In linear regression models, both BD II and type of index phase predicted more time spent in depressive symptom states. CONCLUSIONS In medium-term follow-up, BD II patients spend about 40% more time in depressive symptom states than BD I patients because a higher proportion of BD II patients have depressive phases and the frequency of these is higher. Differences in type of index phase may markedly confound differences in outcome between BD I and II.

P2RX7 gene is associated consistently with mood disorders and predicts clinical outcome in three clinical cohorts

We investigated the effect of nine candidate genes on risk for mood disorders, hypothesizing that predisposing gene variants not only elevate the risk for mood disorders but also result in clinically significant differences in the clinical course of mood disorders. We genotyped 178 DSM‐IV bipolar I and II and 272 major depressive disorder patients from three independent clinical cohorts carefully diagnosed with semistructured interviews and prospectively followed up with life charts for a median of 60 (range 6–83) months. Healthy control subjects (n = 1322) were obtained from the population‐based national Health 2000 Study. We analyzed 62 genotyped variants within the selected genes (BDNF, NTRK2, SLC6A4, TPH2, P2RX7, DAOA, COMT, DISC1, and MAOA) against the presence of mood disorder, and in post‐hoc analyses, specifically against bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder. Estimates for time ill were based on life charts. The P2RX7 gene variants rs208294 and rs2230912 significantly elevated the risk for a familial mood disorder (OR = 1.35, P = 0.0013, permuted P = 0.06, and OR = 1.44, P = 0.0031, permuted P = 0.17, respectively). The results were consistent in all three cohorts. The same risk alleles predicted more time ill in all cohorts (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1–1.6, P = 0.0069 and OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3–2.3, P = 0.0002 with rs208294 and rs2230912, respectively), so that homozygous carriers spent 12 and 24% more time ill. P2RX7 and its risk alleles predisposed to mood disorders consistently in three independent clinical cohorts. The same risk alleles resulted in clinically significant differences in outcome of patients with major depressive and bipolar disorder.

Differences in incidence of suicide attempts between bipolar I and II disorders and major depressive disorder

Whether risk of suicide attempts (SAs) differs between patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) is unclear. We investigated whether cumulative risk differences are due to dissimilarities in time spent in high‐risk states, incidence per unit time in high‐risk states, or both.

Gender differences in bipolar disorder type I and II

Objective:  We investigated gender differences in bipolar disorder (BD) type I and II in a representative cohort of secondary care psychiatric in‐ and out‐patients.

A prospective latent analyses study of psychiatric comorbidity of DSM-IV bipolar I and II disorders

OBJECTIVE To test two hypotheses of psychiatric comorbidity in bipolar disorder (BD): (i) comorbid disorders are independent of BD course, or (ii) comorbid disorders associate with mood. METHODS In the Jorvi Bipolar Study (JoBS), 191 secondary-care outpatients and inpatients with DSM-IV bipolar I disorder (BD-I) or bipolar II disorder (BD-II) were evaluated with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorders, with psychotic screen, plus symptom scales, at intake and at 6 and 18 months. Three evaluations of comorbidity were available for 144 subjects (65 BD-I, 79 BD-II; 76.6% of 188 living patients). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine correlations between mood symptoms and comorbidity. A latent change model (LCM) was used to examine intraindividual changes across time in depressive and anxiety symptoms. Current mood was modeled in terms of current illness phase, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Young Mania Rating Scale, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; comorbidity in terms of categorical DSM-IV anxiety disorder diagnosis, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) score, and DSM-IV-based scales of substance use and eating disorders. RESULTS In the SEM, depression and anxiety exhibited strong cross-sectional and autoregressive correlation; high levels of depression were associated with high concurrent anxiety, both persisting over time. Substance use disorders covaried with manic symptoms (r = 0.16-0.20, p < 0.05), and eating disorders with depressive symptoms (r = 0.15-0.32, p < 0.05). In the LCM, longitudinal intraindividual improvements in BDI were associated with similar BAI improvement (r = 0.42, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Depression and anxiety covary strongly cross-sectionally and longitudinally in BD. Substance use disorders are moderately associated with manic symptoms, and eating disorders with depressive mood.

Predictors of adherence to psychopharmacological and psychosocial treatment in bipolar I or II disorders – an 18-month prospective study

BACKGROUND Poor treatment adherence among patients with bipolar disorder (BD) is a common clinical problem. However, whether adherence is mostly determined by patient characteristics or attitudes, type of treatment or treatment side-effects remains poorly known. METHODS The Jorvi Bipolar Study (JoBS) is a naturalistic prospective 18-month study representing psychiatric in- and outpatients with DSM-IV BD I and II in three Finnish cities. During the 18-month follow-up we investigated the continuity of, attitudes towards and adherence to various types of psychopharmacological and psychosocial treatments among 168 psychiatric in- and outpatients with BD I or II. RESULTS One-quarter of the patients using mood stabilizers or atypical antipsychotics discontinued medication during at least one treatment phase of the follow-up autonomously, mostly during depression. When pharmacotherapy continued, adherence was compromised in one-third. Rates of non-adherence to mood stabilizers or antipsychotics did not differ, but the predictors did. One-quarter of the patients receiving psychosocial treatments were non-adherent to them. LIMITATIONS Serum concentrations were not estimated. CONCLUSIONS More than one-half of BD patients either discontinue pharmacotherapy or use it irregularly. Autonomous discontinuation takes place mostly in depression. Although rates of non-adherence do not necessarily differ between mood-stabilizing medications, the predictors for nonadherence do. Moreover, adherence to one medication does not guarantee adherence to another, nor does adherence at one time-point ensure later adherence. Attitudes towards treatments affect adherence to medications as well as to psychosocial treatments and should be repeatedly monitored. Non-adherence to psychosocial treatment should be given more attention.

Clinical predictors of unrecognized bipolar I and II disorders

OBJECTIVES Bipolar disorder (BD) is correctly diagnosed in only 40-50% of patients. No previous study has investigated the characteristics of bipolar patients in psychiatric care with or without clinical diagnoses of BD. We investigated the demographic and clinical predictors of the absence of a clinical diagnosis of BD I and II among psychiatric patients. METHODS In the Jorvi Bipolar Study, 1,630 psychiatric in- and outpatients were screened with the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. Suspected cases were diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-Patient version (SCID-I/P) for BD. Patients with no preceding clinical diagnosis of BD, despite previous manic, hypomanic or mixed phases and treatment in psychiatric care, were classified as undiagnosed. The clinical characteristics of unrecognized BD I patients (23 of 90 BD I patients) and BD II patients (47 of 93 BD II patients) were compared to those of patients who had been correctly diagnosed. RESULTS No previous hospitalizations [odds ratio (OR) = 10.6, p = 0.001] or psychotic symptoms (OR = 4.4, p = 0.045), and the presence of rapid cycling (OR = 11.6, p = 0.001) predicted lack of BD I diagnosis. No psychotic symptoms (OR = 3.3, p = 0.01), female gender (OR = 3.0, p = 0.03), and shorter time in treatment (OR = 1.1, p = 0.03) predicted the lack of a BD II diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Correct diagnosis of BD I is related to the severe phases of illness leading to hospitalizations. In BD II, the illness factors may not be as important as time elapsed in treatment, a factor that often leads to a delay in diagnosis or none at all. Excessive reliance on typical and cross-sectional presentations of illness likely explain the non-recognition of BD. The challenge for correctly diagnosing bipolar patients is in outpatient settings.

How suicidal bipolar patients are depends on how suicidal ideation is defined

BACKGROUND Suicidal ideation indicates risk for suicidal acts. How different definitions and measures for suicidal ideation influence its prevalence, correlates and predictive validity among bipolar disorder (BD) patients is unknown. METHODS Among the 191 BD patients in the Jorvi Bipolar Study (JoBS), suicidal ideation at baseline was measured using the Scale for Suicidal Ideation (SSI), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) item 3 and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) item 9 and by asking whether patients had seriously considered suicide. The predictive value of different definitions of ideation on suicide attempts during a six-month follow-up was investigated. RESULTS Altogether 74% of patients had suicidal ideation as defined in at least one of the above-mentioned ways, but only 29% met the criteria for all ways; agreement between definitions ranged from low to moderate (kappa coefficient 0.15 to 0.70). The correlates of suicidal ideation overlapped, but were not identical. Of the measures investigated, a baseline SSI score >or=8 had the best combination of sensitivity (0.81) and specificity (0.69) and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 32% for an attempted suicide during follow-up. LIMITATIONS All plausible measures for suicidal ideation could not be investigated. CONCLUSIONS Who is classified as having suicidal ideation depends strongly on the definition and means of measurement among BD patients. Different measures for ideation have the potential to cause inconsistency when correlates of suicidal ideation are investigated. For clinically predicting suicide attempts during the next few months, an SSI score >or=8 may best combine sensitivity and specificity.