[Bipolar disorder type 1 was the most stable bipolar subdiagnosis]. / Bipolär sjukdom typ 1 ­ den mest stabila bipolära underdiagnosen.

DSM-IV subcategorises bipolar disorders into type 1, type 2, and a third not otherwise specified (NOS) category. Although previous works suggest that these subtypes remain reasonably stable over time, it is unclear if subdiagnoses endure over time or if patients are commonly recategorized within the spectrum in a real-world clinical setting. We assessed subdiagnostic stability in 6,374 individuals with bipolar disorder using data from the Swedish national quality assurance register for bipolar disorders (BipoläR). Diagnoses at baseline registration - that could occur at any time point during the course of illness - were compared with diagnoses at follow-up registration 3 years later. Changes in subdiagnoses were analysed in relation to clinical setting, diagnostic procedure, and patient features. We found that 74 %, 67 %, and 47 % of patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1, type 2, and NOS, respectively, retained the same subdiagnosis at the 3-year follow-up. The following factors were associated with higher rate of subdiagnostic transitions: previous suicide attempts, unemployment or low psychosocial function, treatment with antidepressants, and comorbid anxiety, neuropsychiatric, or personality disorder. Conversely, use and duration of mood stabilizer treatment, the use of structured diagnostic instruments, and treatment at an outpatient unit specialized in managing affective disorders were associated with lower likelihood of subdiagnostic transitions. Our findings confirm that bipolar disorder type 1 is the most stable subdiagnostic group, but findings also indicate a significant degree of subdiagnostic instability, particularly in the NOS group.

Regional lithium prescription rates and recurrence in bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Lithium is the best documented maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder, but its use varies considerably across and within countries. It is not known whether regional differences in lithium prescription rates translate to differing regional outcomes. AIMS: To estimate associations between county specific lithium prescription rates and county specific recurrence odds of bipolar disorder in Sweden. METHOD: Data from 14,616 patients with bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, or bipolar disorder not otherwise specified were extracted from the Swedish national quality assurance register for bipolar disorders (BipoläR). Lithium prescription frequencies were calculated for 21 counties. Logistic regression analyses were run adjusted for confounders, with any type of recurrence as primary outcome, and incident elated and depressive episodes as secondary outcomes. Subsets of patients with bipolar I, II and not otherwise specified disorder were also analysed separately. RESULTS: Lithium prescription rates for populations with all bipolar subtypes ranged across counties from 37.7 to 84.9% (mean 52.4%). Higher regional prescription rates were significantly associated with lower rate of any type of recurrence. The association was stronger when bipolar I disorder was analysed separately. CONCLUSIONS: The advantages for lithium use long acknowledged for bipolar I disorder are also seen for the rest of the bipolar spectrum. Results suggest that population level outcomes of bipolar disorder could be improved by increasing the number of patients using lithium.

Patient educational level and management of bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic factors can affect healthcare management. AIMS: The aim was to investigate if patient educational attainment is associated with management of bipolar disorder. METHOD: We included patients with bipolar disorder type 1 (n = 4289), type 2 (n = 4020) and not otherwise specified (n = 1756), from the Swedish National Quality Register for Bipolar Disorder (BipoläR). The association between patients' educational level and pharmacological and psychological interventions was analysed by binary logistic regression. We calculated odds ratios after adjusting for demographic and clinical variables. RESULTS: Higher education was associated with increased likelihood of receiving psychotherapy (adjusted odds ratio 1.34, 95% CI 91.22-1.46) and psychoeducation (adjusted odds ratio 1.18, 95% CI 1.07-1.46), but with lower likelihood of receiving first-generation antipsychotics (adjusted odds ratio 0.76, 95% CI 0.62-0.94) and tricyclic antidepressants (adjusted odds ratio 0.76, 95% CI 0.59-0.97). Higher education was also associated with lower risk for compulsory in-patient care (adjusted odds ratio 0.79, 95% CI 0.67-0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacological and psychological treatment of bipolar disorder differ depending on patients' educational attainment. The reasons for these disparities remain to be explained.

Characteristics of bipolar I and II disorder: A study of 8766 individuals.

OBJECTIVES: Large-scale studies on phenotypic differences between bipolar disorder type I (BDI) and type II (BDII) are scarce. METHODS: Individuals with BDI (N = 4806) and BDII (N = 3960) were compared with respect to clinical features, illness course, comorbid conditions, suicidality, and socioeconomic factors using data from the Swedish national quality assurance register for bipolar disorders (BipoläR). RESULTS: BDII had higher rate of depressive episodes and more frequent suicide attempts than BDI. Furthermore, the BDII group were younger at first sign of mental illness and showed higher prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity but were more likely to have completed higher education and to be self-sustaining than the BDI group. BDII more frequently received psychotherapy, antidepressants, and lamotrigine. BDI patients had higher rate of hospitalizations and elated episodes, higher BMI, and higher rate of endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases. BDI were more likely to receive mood stabilizers, antipsychotic drugs, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychoeducation. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate clear differences between BDI and II and counter the notion that BDII is a milder form of BDI, but rather a more complex condition with regard to clinical course and comorbidity.

Association between solar insolation and a history of suicide attempts in bipolar I disorder.

In many international studies, rates of completed suicide and suicide attempts have a seasonal pattern that peaks in spring or summer. This exploratory study investigated the association between solar insolation and a history of suicide attempt in patients with bipolar I disorder. Solar insolation is the amount of electromagnetic energy from the Sun striking a surface area on Earth. Data were collected previously from 5536 patients with bipolar I disorder at 50 collection sites in 32 countries at a wide range of latitudes in both hemispheres. Suicide related data were available for 3365 patients from 310 onset locations in 51 countries. 1047 (31.1%) had a history of suicide attempt. There was a significant inverse association between a history of suicide attempt and the ratio of mean winter solar insolation/mean summer solar insolation. This ratio is smallest near the poles where the winter insolation is very small compared to the summer insolation. This ratio is largest near the equator where there is relatively little variation in the insolation over the year. Other variables in the model that were positively associated with suicide attempt were being female, a history of alcohol or substance abuse, and being in a younger birth cohort. Living in a country with a state-sponsored religion decreased the association. (All estimated coefficients p < 0.01). In summary, living in locations with large changes in solar insolation between winter and summer may be associated with increased suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder. Further investigation of the impacts of solar insolation on the course of bipolar disorder is needed.

Lithium-Associated Hypercalcemia: Pathophysiology, Prevalence, Management.

BACKGROUND: Lithium-associated hypercalcemia (LAH) is an ill-defined endocrinopathy. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of hypercalcemia in a cohort of bipolar patients (BP) with and without concomitant lithium treatment and to study surgical outcomes for lithium-associated hyperparathyroidism. METHODS: Retrospective data, including laboratory results, surgical outcomes and medications, were collected from 313 BP treated with lithium from two psychiatric outpatient units in central Sweden. In addition, data were collected from 148 BP without lithium and a randomly selected control population of 102 individuals. Logistic regression was used to compare odds of hypercalcemia in these respective populations. RESULTS: The prevalence of lithium-associated hypercalcemia was 26%. Mild hypercalcemia was detected in 87 out of 563 study participants. The odds of hypercalcemia were significantly higher in BP with lithium treatment compared with BP unexposed to lithium (adjusted OR 13.45; 95% CI 3.09, 58.55; p = 0.001). No significant difference was detected between BP without lithium and control population (adjusted OR 2.40; 95% CI 0.38, 15.41; p = 0.355). Seven BP with lithium underwent surgery where an average of two parathyroid glands was removed. Parathyroid hyperplasia was present in four patients (57%) at the initial operation. One patient had persistent disease after the initial operation, and six patients had recurrent disease at follow-up time which was on average 10 years. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of LAH justifies the regular monitoring of calcium homeostasis, particularly in high-risk groups. If surgery is necessary, bilateral neck exploration should be considered in patients on chronic lithium treatment. Prospective studies are needed.

Prevalences of autoimmune diseases in schizophrenia, bipolar I and II disorder, and controls.

Previous studies on the relationship between autoimmune diseases, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are mainly based on hospital discharge registers with insufficient coverage of outpatient data. Furthermore, data is scant on the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in bipolar subgroups. Here we estimate the self-reported prevalences of autoimmune diseases in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder type I and II, and controls. Lifetime prevalence of autoimmune diseases was assessed through a structured interview in a sample of 9076 patients (schizophrenia N = 5278, bipolar disorder type I N = 1952, type II N = 1846) and 6485 controls. Comparative analyses were performed using logistic regressions. The prevalence of diabetes type 1 did not differ between groups. Hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism regardless of lithium effects, rheumatoid arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica were most common in bipolar disorder. Systemic lupus erythematosus was less common in bipolar disorder than in the other groups. The rate of autoimmune diseases did not differ significantly between bipolar subgroups. We conclude that prevalences of autoimmune diseases show clear differences between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but not between the bipolar subgroups.

[Prescribed drug use for bipolar disorder type I and II in clinical practice]. / Läkemedelsriktlinjer för bipolär sjukdom följs i hög utsträckning.

Prescribed drug use for bipolar disorder type I and II in clinical practice Practice guidelines based on available evidence and clinical consensus are available for the treatment of bipolar disorder. We surveyed to which extent those guidelines are implemented in clinical practice in Sweden. We analysed pharmacological treatment in patients with bipolar disorder in 2015 using the national quality register for bipolar disorder (BipoläR). We compared bipolar disorder type I (BDI) with type bipolar disorder type II (BDII). The vast majority of patients were prescribed a mood stabilizer either as monotherapy or as a part of combination therapy (BDI 87%, BDII 83%, p<0.001). Whereas lithium was the most common mood stabilizer in type I (BDI 65%, BDII 40%, p<0.001), lamotrigine was the most common mood stabilizer in type II (BDI 18%, BDII 42%, p<0.001). Antidepressants were less common in BDI than BDII (35% vs. 53%, p<0.001). Antipsychotic drugs (first or second generation) were more frequently used in BDI than BDII (49% vs 35%, p<0.001). Central stimulants were rarely used (BDI 3.1%, BDII 6.6%, p<0.001). Combining a mood stabilizer with an antipsychotic drug was more common in BDI than BDII (27% vs. 12%, p<0.001), whereas combining a mood stabilizer with an antidepressant was less common in BDI than BDII (16% vs 28%, p<0.001). We conclude that most patients are prescribed mood stabilizers and that the differences between BDI and BDII are rational given the differences in clinical manifestations. The use of antidepressants is surprisingly high given the long-standing debate about the risk and effectiveness of this class in bipolar disorder.

Changes in mood stabilizer prescription patterns in bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Lithium is a first line treatment option in bipolar disorder, but several alternative treatments have been introduced in recent years, such as antiepileptic and atypical antipsychotic drugs. Little is known about how this has changed the prescription patterns. We investigated possible changes in the use of mood stabilizers and antidepressants in Sweden during 2007-2013. METHODS: Data was collected from Swedish registers: the National Quality Assurance Register for bipolar disorder (BipoläR), the Prescribed Drug Register, and the Patient Register. Logistic regression models with drug use as outcomes were used to adjust for confounding factors such as sex, age, year of registration, and subtypes of bipolar disorder. RESULTS: In both bipolar subtypes, lithium use decreased steadily during the study period, while the use of lamotrigine and quetiapine increased. The use of valproate decreased in bipolar II disorder and the use of olanzapine decreased among women. The use of antidepressant remained principally unchanged but increased somewhat in bipolar I disorder. LIMITATIONS: We only report data from 2007 as the coverage of BipoläR prior to 2007 was too low to allow for reliable analyses. CONCLUSION: Significant changes in the prescription of drugs in the treatment of bipolar disorder have occurred in recent years in Sweden. Further studies are needed to clarify whether these changes alter the outcome in bipolar disorder.

Gender differences in the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder: a study of 7354 patients.

BACKGROUND: Gender differences in treatment that are not supported by empirical evidence have been reported in several areas of medicine. Here, the aim was to evaluate potential gender differences in the treatment for bipolar disorder. METHODS: Data was collected from the Swedish National Quality Assurance Register for bipolar disorder (BipoläR). Baseline registrations from the period 2004-2011 of 7354 patients were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to study the impact of gender on interventions. RESULTS: Women were more often treated with antidepressants, lamotrigine, electroconvulsive therapy, benzodiazepines, and psychotherapy. Men were more often treated with lithium. There were no gender differences in treatment with mood stabilizers as a group, neuroleptics, or valproate. Subgroup analyses revealed that ECT was more common in women only in the bipolar I subgroup. Contrariwise, lamotrigine was more common in women only in the bipolar II subgroup. LIMITATIONS: As BipoläR contains data on outpatient treatment of persons with bipolar disorder in Sweden, it is unclear if these findings translate to inpatient care and to outpatient treatment in other countries. CONCLUSIONS: Men and women with bipolar disorder receive different treatments in routine clinical settings in Sweden. Gender differences in level of functioning, bipolar subtype, or severity of bipolar disorder could not explain the higher prevalence of pharmacological treatment, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychotherapy in women. Our results suggest that clinicians׳ treatment decisions are to some extent unduly influenced by patients׳ gender.

[Changes in prescription patterns to patients with bipolar syndromes. Increased use of lamotrigine and decreased use of lithium]. / Förändringar i förskrivningen till patienter med bipolära syndrom - Ökad användning av lamotrigin och minskning av litium.

Lithium is a first line option in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder, but several alternative treatment regimens have been introduced in recent years, among them treatment with antiepileptic compounds and atypical antipsychotic drugs. Little is known about if and how this has changed the prescription patterns of mood stabilizers. We analysed trends in prescription of mood stabilisers in Sweden using the national quality register for bipolar disorder (BipoläR), the Prescribed Drug Register, and the Patient Register during the years 2007-2011. We found that lithium use decreased while lamotrigine use increased in bipolar patients. These changes could not be ex-plained by differences in bipolar subtypes; lithium use decreased in both bipolar type I and type II, and the use of lamotrigine increased in bipolar type II. Lithium use was more common in men, whereas lamotrigine use was more common in women. The prescription of other mood stabilisers did not change during these years.