[International Consensus Statement for the Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Adolescents with Concurrent Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Substance Use Disorder]. / Internationale Konsenserklärung zu Screening, Diagnostik und Behandlung von Jugendlichen und Heranwachsenden mit Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung und gleichzeitigen Störungen durch Substanzgebrauch.

International Consensus Statement for the Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Adolescents with Concurrent Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Substance Use Disorder Abstract. Background: Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a risk factor for substance misuse and substance use disorder (SUD) in adolescence and (early) adulthood. ADHD and SUD also frequently co-occur in treatment-seeking adolescents, which complicates diagnosis and treatment and is associated with poor treatment outcomes. Research on the effect of treatment of childhood ADHD on the prevention of adolescent SUD is inconclusive, and studies on the diagnosis and treatment of adolescents with ADHD and SUD are scarce. Thus, the available evidence is generally not sufficient to justify robust treatment recommendations. Objective: The aim of the study was to obtain a consensus statement based on a combination of scientific data and clinical experience. Method: A modified Delphi study to reach consensus based upon the combination of scientific data and clinical experience with a multidisciplinary group of 55 experts from 17 countries. The experts were asked to rate a set of statements on the effect of treatment of childhood ADHD on adolescent SUD and on the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of adolescents with comorbid ADHD and SUD. Results: After 3 iterative rounds of rating and adapting 37 statements, consensus was reached on 36 of these statements representing 6 domains: general (n = 4), risk of developing SUD (n = 3), screening and diagnosis (n = 7), psychosocial treatment (n = 5), pharmacological treatment (n = 11), and complementary treatments (n = 7). Routine screening is recommended for ADHD in adolescent patients in substance abuse treatment and for SUD in adolescent patients with ADHD in mental healthcare settings. Long-acting stimulants are recommended as the first-line treatment of ADHD in adolescents with concurrent ADHD and SUD, and pharmacotherapy should preferably be embedded in psychosocial treatment. The only remaining no-consensus statement concerned the requirement of abstinence before starting pharmacological treatment in adolescents with ADHD and concurrent SUD. In contrast to the majority, some experts required full abstinence before starting any pharmacological treatment, some were against the use of stimulants in the treatment of these patients (independent of abstinence), while some were against the alternative use of bupropion. Conclusion: This international consensus statement can be used by clinicians and patients together in a shared decision-making process to select the best interventions and to reach optimal outcomes in adolescent patients with concurrent ADHD and SUD.

International Consensus Statement for the Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Adolescents with Concurrent Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Substance Use Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a risk factor for substance misuse and substance use disorder (SUD) in adolescence and (early) adulthood. ADHD and SUD also frequently co-occur in treatment-seeking adolescents, which complicates diagnosis and treatment and is associated with poor treatment outcomes. Research on the effect of treatment of childhood ADHD on the prevention of adolescent SUD is inconclusive, and studies on the diagnosis and treatment of adolescents with ADHD and SUD are scarce. Thus, the available evidence is generally not sufficient to justify robust treatment recommendations. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to obtain a consensus statement based on a combination of scientific data and clinical experience. METHOD: A modified Delphi study to reach consensus based upon the combination of scientific data and clinical experience with a multidisciplinary group of 55 experts from 17 countries. The experts were asked to rate a set of statements on the effect of treatment of childhood ADHD on adolescent SUD and on the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of adolescents with comorbid ADHD and SUD. RESULTS: After 3 iterative rounds of rating and adapting 37 statements, consensus was reached on 36 of these statements representing 6 domains: general (n = 4), risk of developing SUD (n = 3), screening and diagnosis (n = 7), psychosocial treatment (n = 5), pharmacological treatment (n = 11), and complementary treatments (n = 7). Routine screening is recommended for ADHD in adolescent patients in substance abuse treatment and for SUD in adolescent patients with ADHD in mental healthcare settings. Long-acting stimulants are recommended as the first-line treatment of ADHD in adolescents with concurrent ADHD and SUD, and pharmacotherapy should preferably be embedded in psychosocial treatment. The only remaining no-consensus statement concerned the requirement of abstinence before starting pharmacological treatment in adolescents with ADHD and concurrent SUD. In contrast to the majority, some experts required full abstinence before starting any pharmacological treatment, some were against the use of stimulants in the treatment of these patients (independent of abstinence), while some were against the alternative use of bupropion. CONCLUSION: This international consensus statement can be used by clinicians and patients together in a shared decision-making process to select the best interventions and to reach optimal outcomes in adolescent patients with concurrent ADHD and SUD.

Development and psychometric properties of the parent version of the Profile of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms (PONS) in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The use of neuropsychiatric Patient Centred Outcome Measures (PCOMs) in routine child mental health and paediatric services is very time consuming and often requires multiple scales being completed as no single scale covers all areas of psychopathology. The use of a web-based programme can overcome these problems and contribute to improved use of PCOMs in clinical practice. We aim to develop a web-based scale (using HealthTracker™) to screen and identify young people with significant neuropsychiatric symptoms to enable early intervention. METHODS: Qualitative development of the Profile of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms (PONS) and quantitative evaluation of the psychometric properties of the PONS scale (parent version). Parents of 929 from the general population and 147 with neuropsychiatric disorders (5-18 years old) completed the PONS online. In addition, those children with neuropsychiatric disorders were assessed for the presence of current and lifetime psychiatric disorders using the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA). RESULTS: The PONS scale (parent version) consists of 30 symptom domains rated on a 7-point scale for both frequency and impairment. We found an intra-class correlation coefficient for single measures was 0.44 (0.42-0.46 95 % CI, F = 22.84, p ≤ 0.0001) and for average measures was 0.96 (0.95-0.96 95 % CI, F = 22.84, p ≤ 0.0001). The factor analysis showed a 4-factor model: Neurodevelopmental Disability; Behavioural and Emotional Dysregulation; Psychoses and Personality Dysfunction; and Anxiety and Depression. The receiver operating characteristic area for the 4-factors was 0.96 (SE = 0.006; 0.95-0.97 95 % CI). CONCLUSIONS: The PONS scale (parent version) is a web-based PCOM on the HealthTracker™ system that is a rapid, engaging measure that has excellent reliability and validity. The system allows for automated scoring and immediate feedback of statistical cut-off points and assists clinicians with diagnostic decision-making and optimises use of clinician time.

Increased prospective health service use for depression among adults with childhood onset bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prospective relationship between age of onset of bipolar disorder and the demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment, new onset of psychiatric comorbidity, and psychosocial functioning among adults with bipolar disorder. STUDY DESIGN: As part of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, 1600 adults who met lifetime Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition criteria for bipolar disorder-I (n = 1172) and bipolar disorder-II (n = 428) were included. Individuals were evaluated using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-IV version for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, and data were analyzed from Waves 1 and 2, approximately 3 years apart. Individuals with bipolar disorder were divided into three age at onset groups: childhood (<13 years old, n = 115), adolescence (13-18 years old, n = 396), and adulthood (>19 year old, n = 1017). RESULTS: After adjusting for confounding factors, adults with childhood-onset bipolar disorder were more likely to see a counselor, have been hospitalized, and have received emergency room treatment for depression compared with those with adulthood-onset bipolar disorder. By contrast, there were no differences in the severity of mania or hypomania, new onset of comorbidity, and psychosocial functioning by age of bipolar disorder onset. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood-onset bipolar disorder is prospectively associated with seeking treatment for depression, an important proxy for depressive severity. Longitudinal studies are needed in order to determine whether prompt identification, accurate diagnosis, and early intervention can serve to mitigate the burden of childhood onset on the long-term depressive burden of bipolar disorder.

Obesity and the three-year longitudinal course of bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVES: Despite substantial cross-sectional evidence that obesity is associated with an increased medical and psychiatric burden in bipolar disorder (BD), few longitudinal studies have examined this topic. METHODS: Subjects with BD (n = 1600) who completed both Wave 1 and Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions were included. Analyses examined the association between obesity at Wave 1, and the subsequent course of BD, and of psychiatric and medical comorbidities, between Wave 1 and Wave 2. RESULTS: BD subjects with obesity (n = 506; 29.43%), compared to BD subjects without obesity (n = 1094; 70.57%) were significantly more likely to have a major depressive episode and to receive counseling for depression during follow-up, more likely to report a lifetime suicide attempt, and less likely to develop new-onset alcohol use disorders. These differences were no longer significant, however, after controlling for baseline demographic variables. No significant differences in new episodes or treatment of mania/hypomania were observed. After controlling for demographic variables, obese subjects remained significantly more likely to report any new-onset medical condition [odds ratio (OR) = 2.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.63-3.30], new-onset hypertension (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.16-2.82) and arthritis (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.07-2.52). Obese subjects were significantly more likely to report physician-diagnosed diabetes (OR = 6.98, 95% CI: 4.27-11.40) and hyperlipidemia (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.63-3.30) (assessed in Wave 2 only). The incidence of heart attacks was doubled among obese subjects, although this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The association between obesity and increased prospective depressive burden appears to be explained by baseline demographic variables. By contrast, obesity independently predicts the accumulation of medical conditions among adults with BD. Treatment of obesity could potentially mitigate the psychiatric and medical burden of BD.

Anxiety disorders and rapid cycling: data from a cohort of 8129 youths with bipolar disorder.

Anxiety disorders (ADs) are common in youths with bipolar disorder (BD). We examine psychiatric comorbidity, hospitalization, and treatment in youths with versus without AD and rapid cycling (four or more cycles per year). Data from the Integrated Healthcare Information Services cohort were used and included 8129 youths (ages ≤18 years). Prevalence of AD, demographic, type of AD, hospitalization, and use of psychotropics were compared between rapid and nonrapid cycling. Overall, 51% of the youths met criteria for at least one comorbid AD; they were predominantly female and were between 12 and 17 years of age. The most common comorbid ADs were generalized ADs and separation ADs. In the patients with rapid cycling, 65.5% met criteria for comorbid AD. The BD youths with AD were more likely to have major depressive disorders and other comorbid ADs, to be given more psychotropics, and to be hospitalized for depression and medical conditions more often than were those without AD.

Suicidality Treatment Occurring in Paediatrics (STOP) Medication Suicidality Side Effects Scale in young people in two cohorts across Europe.

OBJECTIVES: As part of the 'Suicidality: Treatment Occurring in Paediatrics (STOP)' study, we developed and performed psychometric validation of an electronic-clinical-outcome-assessment (eCOA), which included a patient-reported-outcome (ePRO), an observer-rated-outcome (eObsRO) for parents/carers and a clinician-reported-outcome (eClinRO) that allows identification and monitoring of medication-related suicidality (MRS) in adolescents. DESIGN: STOP: Prospective study: A two phase validation study to assess the impact of medication on suicidal ideations. SETTING: Six participating countries: Netherlands, UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy that were part of the Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. 261411. PARTICIPANTS: Cohort 1 consisted of 41 adolescent-completions, 50 parent-completions and 56 clinician-completions. Cohort 2 consisted of 244 adolescent-completions, 198 parent-completions and 240 clinician-completions from across the six countries. The scale was administered only to participants who have screened positive for the STOP-Suicidality Assessment Scale (STOP-SAS). RESULTS: A total of 24 items for the development of the STOP-Medication Suicidality Side Effects Scale (STOP-MS3) were identified and three versions (for patients, parents and clinicians) of the STOP-MS3 were developed and validated in two separate study cohorts comprising of adolescents, their parents and clinicians. Cronbach's α coefficients were above 0.85 for all domains. The inter-rater reliability of the STOP-MS3 was good and significant for the adolescent (ePRO), clinician (eClinRO) (r=0.613), parent (eObsRO) versions of the scale (r=0.394) and parent and clinician (r=0.347). Exploratory factor analysis identified a 3-factor model across 24 items for the adolescent and parent version of the scale: (1) Emotional Dysregulation, (2) Somatic Dysregulation and (3) Behavioural Dysregulation. For the clinician version, a 4-factor model defined the scale structure: (1) Somatic Dysregulation, (2) Emotional Dysregulation, (3) Behavioural Dysregulation and (4) Mood Dysregulation. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the STOP-MS3 scale, a web-based eCOA, allows identification and monitoring of MRS in the adolescent population and shows good reliability and validity.

Autoimmune Encephalitis and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The concept of "acquired autism" refers to the hypothesis that amongst the massive heterogeneity that encompasses autism spectrum disorder (ASD) there may be several phenotypes that are neither syndromic nor innate. Strong and consistent evidence has linked exposure to various pharmacological and infective agents with an elevated risk of a diagnosis of ASD including maternal valproate use, rubella and herpes encephalitis. Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) describes a group of conditions characterised by the body's immune system mounting an attack on healthy brain cells causing brain inflammation. The resultant cognitive, psychiatric and neurological symptoms that follow AE have also included ASD or autism-like traits and states. We review the current literature on AE and ASD. Drawing also on associated literature on autoimmune psychosis (AP) and preliminary evidence of a psychosis-linked subtype of ASD, we conclude that AE may either act as a potentially causative agent for ASD, and/or produce symptoms that could easily be mistaken for or misdiagnosed as autism. Further studies are required to discern the connection between AE and autism. Where autism is accompanied by regression and atypical onset patterns, it may be prudent to investigate whether a differential diagnosis of AE would be more appropriate.

Bridging the Gap Between Physical Health and Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly complex and heterogeneous developmental disorder that affects how individuals communicate with other people and relate to the world around them. Research and clinical focus on the behavioural and cognitive manifestations of ASD, whilst important, have obscured the recognition that ASD is also commonly associated with a range of physical and mental health conditions. Many physical conditions appear with greater frequency in individuals with ASD compared to non-ASD populations. These can contribute to a worsening of social communication and behaviour, lower quality of life, higher morbidity and premature mortality. We highlight some of the key physical comorbidities affecting the immune and the gastrointestinal systems, metabolism and brain function in ASD. We discuss how healthcare professionals working with individuals with ASD and parents/carers have a duty to recognise their needs in order to improve their overall health and wellbeing, deliver equality in their healthcare experiences and reduce the likelihood of morbidity and early mortality associated with the condition.

Socio-Cultural Context and Bulling Others in Childhood.

The objective of this epidemiological study was to examine, using an ecological perspective, which individual and distal contextual factors (familial, social and cultural) are associated with bullying other children across two different sites. Our sample included 1,271 Puerto Rican children 10 and older years of age at baseline residing in the South Bronx in New York and in the Standard Metropolitan Area in San Juan and Caguas, Puerto Rico. Bullying others was assessed through parents' and children's response to one item in the conduct disorder section of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV (DISC IV). Child, family, social and cultural factors were examined as independent variables with bullying others as dependent variable in hierarchical models adjusting for gender, maternal education, poverty, single parent household and site. Prevalence of bullying others was 15.2% in South Bronx versus 4.6% in Puerto Rico (p<0.0001). Poor social adjustment and academic achievement, parental harsh discipline, negative school environment, exposure to violence, peer delinquency and level of acculturation in the child were all risk factors for bullying others. Child acculturation accounted for site differences in rates of bullying others. We conclude that, besides the school context, specific aspects of the community, family, and culture influence the development of bullying perpetration and should be targets for interventions and prevention programs. Minority youth living in at-risk contexts may benefit from contextually sensitive preventive interventions that address how assimilation into a high-risk context may increase involvement in bullying perpetration.

Childhood maltreatment and the course of bipolar disorders among adults: epidemiologic evidence of dose-response effects.

BACKGROUND: Childhood maltreatment (CM) is highly prevalent among individuals with bipolar disorders (BP); however few studies have examined its potential role in the course and outcome of individuals with BP. We aim to examine the dose response relationship between the number of types of CM and the course of individuals with BP. METHODS: As part of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, 1600 adults who met lifetime DSM-IV criteria for BP-I (n=1172) and BP-II (n=428) were included. Individuals were evaluated using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DMS-IV Version and data was analyzed lifetime and from Waves 1 and 2, approximately 3 years apart. RESULTS: Around half of individuals with BP had a history of at least one type of CM. Overall, there was a clear dose-response relationship between number of CM and severity of BP across several domains, including clinical characteristics, probability of treatment, lifetime prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity, incidence of anxiety disorders, substance use disorder, and nicotine dependence, and level of psychosocial functioning. LIMITATIONS: The interviews were conducted by lay professional interviewers rather than clinicians, use of retrospective report to determine CM in individuals with BP, and not all respondents from Wave 1 were able to be interviewed in Wave 2. CONCLUSIONS: The number of types of CM confers developmental differences in the course of BP with a worse course and outcome of BP. Early identification and treatment of CM are warranted to improve the course and outcome of individuals with BP.

Effects of comorbid anxiety disorders on the longitudinal course of pediatric bipolar disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the longitudinal effects of comorbid anxiety disorders in youth with bipolar spectrum disorder (BP). METHOD: As part of the Course and Outcome of Bipolar Youth study, 413 youth, who were 7 through 17 years or age and who met criteria for DSM-IV BP-I (n = 244), BP-II (n = 28), and operationally defined bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (BP-NOS) (n = 141) were included. Subjects were followed on average 5 years using the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation. Effects of anxiety on the time to mood recovery and recurrence and percentage of time with syndromal and subsyndromal mood symptomatology during the follow-up period were analyzed. RESULTS: At intake and during the follow-up, 62% of youth with BP met criteria for at least 1 anxiety disorder. About 50% of the BP youth with anxiety had ≥2 anxiety disorders. Compared to BP youth without anxiety, those with anxiety had significantly more depressive recurrences and significantly longer median time to recovery. The effects of anxiety on recovery disappeared when the severity of depression at intake was taken into account. After adjusting for confounding factors, BP youth with anxiety, particularly those with ≥2 anxiety disorders, spent significantly less follow-up time asymptomatic and more time with syndromal mixed/cycling and subsyndromal depressive symptomatology compared to those without anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety disorders are common and adversely affect the course of BP in youth, as characterized by more mood recurrences, longer time to recovery, less time euthymic, and more time in mixed/cycling and depressive episodes. Prompt recognition and the development of treatments for BP youth with anxiety are warranted.

Temporal sequencing of nicotine dependence and bipolar disorder in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC).

Bipolar disorder (BD) and nicotine dependence (ND) often co-occur. However, the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. We aimed to examine, for the first time in a national and representative sample, the magnitude and direction of the temporal relationship between BD and ND; and to compare, among individuals with lifetime ND and BD, the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of individuals whose onset of ND preceded the onset of BD (ND-prior) with those whose onset of ND followed the onset of BD (BD-prior). The sample included individuals with lifetime BD type I or ND (n = 7958) from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC, n = 43093). Survival analyses and logistic regression models were computed to study the temporal association between ND and BD, and to compare ND-prior (n = 135) and BD-prior (n = 386) individuals. We found that ND predicted the onset of BD and BD also predicted the onset of ND. Furthermore, the risk of developing one disorder following the other one was greatest early in the course of illness. Most individuals with lifetime ND and BD were BD-prior (72.6%). BD-prior individuals had an earlier onset of BD and a higher number of manic episodes. By contrast, ND-prior individuals had an earlier onset of both daily smoking and ND, and an increased prevalence of alcohol use disorder. In conclusion, ND and BD predict the development of each other. The phenomenology and course of ND and BD varied significantly depending on which disorder had earlier onset.

Course of comorbid anxiety disorders among adults with bipolar disorder in the U.S. population.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and correlates of comorbid anxiety disorders among individuals with bipolar disorders (BP) and their association with prospectively ascertained comorbidities, treatment, and psychosocial functioning. METHOD: As part of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, 1600 adults who met lifetime DSM-IV criteria for BP-I (n = 1172) and BP-II (n = 428) were included. Individuals were evaluated using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DMS-IV Version and data was analyzed from Waves 1 and 2, approximately 3 years apart. RESULTS: Sixty percent of individuals with BP had at least one lifetime comorbid anxiety disorder. Individuals with BP and anxiety disorders shared lifetime risk factors for major depressive disorder and had prospectively more depressive and manic/hypomanic episodes, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and more treatment seeking than those without anxiety. During the follow-up, higher incidence of panic disorder, drug use disorders, and lower psychosocial functioning were found in individuals with BP with versus without anxiety disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety disorders are prospectively associated with elevated BP severity and BP-related mental health service use. Early identification and treatment of anxiety disorders are warranted to improve the course and outcome of individuals with BP.

Conduct disorder and adult psychiatric diagnoses: associations and gender differences in the U.S. adult population.

The authors' objective was to examine the presence of Axis I and II psychiatric disorders among adult males and females with a history in childhood and/or adolescence of conduct disorder (CD). Data were derived from a large national sample of the U.S. population. Face-to-face interviews of more than 34,000 adults ages 18 years and older were conducted during 2004-2005 using the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-DSM-IV Version. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and psychiatric comorbidity, CD was associated with all Axis I and II disorders, particularly substance use disorders (SUD), bipolar disorder, and histrionic personality disorders. After adjusting for gender differences in the general population, men had significantly greater odds of social anxiety disorder and paranoid personality disorder, whereas women were more likely to have SUD. Furthermore, there was dose-response relationship between number of CD symptoms and risk for most psychiatric disorders. From a clinical standpoint, knowledge of the gender differences in associations of CD with other psychiatric disorders in adulthood may be informative of developmental pathways of the disorder, and of possible gender-specific risk factors. Early recognition and treatment of CD may help prevent the development of adult-onset disorders.

Factors associated with the persistence and onset of new anxiety disorders in youth with bipolar spectrum disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety disorders are among the most common comorbid conditions in youth with bipolar disorder, but, to our knowledge, no studies examined the course of anxiety disorders in youth and adults with bipolar disorder. METHOD: As part of the Course and Outcome of Bipolar Youth study, 413 youth, ages 7 to 17 years who met criteria for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) bipolar I disorder (n = 244), bipolar II disorder (n = 28), and operationally defined bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (n = 141) were recruited primarily from outpatient clinics. Subjects were followed on average for 5 years using the Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Evaluation. We examined factors associated with the persistence (> 50% of the follow-up time) and onset of new anxiety disorders in youth with bipolar disorder. RESULTS: Of the 170 youth who had anxiety at intake, 80.6% had an anxiety disorder at any time during the follow-up. Most of the anxiety disorders during the follow-up were of the same type as those present at intake. About 50% of the youth had persistent anxiety, particularly generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Persistence was associated with multiple anxiety disorders, less follow-up time in euthymia, less conduct disorder, and less treatment with antimanic and antidepressant medications (all P values ≤ .05). Twenty-five percent of the sample who did not have an anxiety disorder at intake developed new anxiety disorders during follow-up, most commonly GAD. The onset of new anxiety disorders was significantly associated with being female, lower socioeconomic status, presence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and substance use disorder, and more follow-up time with manic or hypomanic symptoms (all P values ≤ .05) CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety disorders in youth with bipolar disorder tend to persist, and new-onset anxiety disorders developed in a substantial proportion of the sample. Early identification of factors associated with the persistence and onset of new anxiety disorders may enable the development of strategies for treatment and prevention.

Comorbid anxiety in children and adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorders: prevalence and clinical correlates.

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety disorders are among the most common comorbid conditions in youth with bipolar disorder. We aimed to examine the prevalence and correlates of comorbid anxiety disorders among youth with bipolar disorder. METHOD: As part of the Course and Outcome of Bipolar Youth study, 446 youth, ages 7 to 17 years, who met DSM-IV criteria for bipolar I disorder (n = 260) or bipolar II disorder (n = 32) or met operationalized criteria for bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (n = 154) were included. Subjects were evaluated for current and lifetime Axis I psychiatric disorders at intake using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children-Present and Lifetime version, and standardized instruments were used to assess functioning and family history. RESULTS: Forty-four percent (n = 194) of the sample met DSM-IV criteria for at least 1 lifetime anxiety disorder, most commonly separation anxiety (24%) and generalized anxiety disorders (16%). Nearly 20% met criteria for 2 or more anxiety disorders. Overall, anxiety disorders predated the onset of bipolar disorder. Subjects with bipolar II disorder were more likely than subjects with bipolar I disorder or bipolar disorder not otherwise specified to have a comorbid anxiety disorder. After adjusting for confounding factors, youth with bipolar disorder with anxiety were more likely to have bipolar II disorder; longer duration of mood symptoms; more severe ratings of depression; and family history of depression, hopelessness, and somatic complaints during their worst lifetime depressive episode than those without anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbid anxiety disorders are common in youth with bipolar disorder, and they most often predate bipolar disorder onset. Bipolar II disorder, a family history of depression, and more severe lifetime depressive episodes distinguish youth with bipolar disorder with comorbid anxiety disorders from those without. Careful consideration should be given to the assessment of comorbid anxiety in youth with bipolar disorder.

Phenomenology, longitudinal course, and outcome of children and adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorders.

Pediatric bipolar disorder (BPD) significantly affects the normal emotional, cognitive, and social development. The course of children and adolescents with BPD is manifested by frequent changes in symptoms polarity showing a dimensional continuum of bipolar symptoms severity from subsyndromal to mood syndromes meeting full DSM-IV criteria. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of pediatric bipolar is of utmost importance.