The study aims to assess comorbidity rates and family history in bipolar disorder.
Methods: The sample included 67 BD patients according to the DSM-IV-TR. Assessments were made in detail using semi-structured interviews to patients and relatives.
Chi-square, Fisher exact probability test and Mann-Whitney test were used.
Results: The mean age was 40 years and 67 % were women. BDI were 64 % and BDII were36%.
A lifetime history of psychiatric co-morbidity, axis II co-morbidity, hypothyroidism, substance dependence, and stressful life events, were reported in a 48%, 39%, 40%, 22%, 42%, respectively. No difference was found between gender and BD type.
Depression, alcohol, suicide and bipolar family history were reported in 61%, 33% 26% and 49%, respectively. No difference was found in gender but BDII had greater rates than BDI in depression
(p< 0,1) and alcohol dependence (p< 0,001).
Hospitalization rates and length of stay were greater for BDI than BDII (p<0.1). Conversely, depressive and hypomanic episodes rates and the length of hypomanic episodes were greater in BDII than BDI (p<0.1; p<0.01; p<0,01 respectively).
Women had higher hypomanic episodes rates than men (p<0,05), and men had higher manic episodes rates and average length of them than women ( p<0.05; p<0.05 respectively).
Conclusions: BD is often comorbid with other axis I and II disorders and comorbidity rates seem to be similar between gender and BD type. Besides, family history of mood disorders, alcohol and suicide is one of the most elevated rates in psychiatric illnesses.