Bipolar disorder (BD) is related to high prevalence of somatic comorbidities, health care costs, and premature mortality [1Kleine-Budde K., et al. Cost of illness for bipolar disorder: a systematic review of the economic burden Bipolar Disord 2014 ;  16 (4) : 337-353 [cross-ref]

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références]. Some evidence supports the view of BD as chronic, progressive and multisystem disorder in which not only mental system, but also somatic systems are involved [2Leboyer M., Soreca I., Scott J., et al. Can bipolar disorder be viewed as a multi-system inflammatory disease? J Affect Disord 2012 ;  141 (1) : 1-10 [cross-ref]

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références].

To investigate differences in physical health in patients with bipolar disorder at different stages (early vs. late) of the disease.

Cross-sectional, naturalistic, multicenter study. Sample: 110 outpatients with BD [68 early stage (diagnosed at least 5 years earlier) and 42 late stage (at least 20 years earlier)]. Assessment: demographic and clinical variables; psychopathology: HDRS, YMRS and CGI; biological information: anthropometric, vital signs and lab results.

Early stage group: mean age 40.1 (11.9), 66.2% females and CGI=3.6 (1.4). Late stage group: mean age 55.8 (8.2), 69.0% females and CGI=4.0 (1.4). Patients in early stage have significantly higher levels of glucose (t=−4.007, P<0.001), urea (t=−2.724, P=0.008), creatinine (F=0.560, P=0.022), triglycerides (t=−3.501, P=0.001), Fe (t=2.871, P=0.005) and insulin (t=−3.223, P=0.002). Moreover, they have higher Body Max Index (BMI) (t=−3.728, P<0.000), abdominal circumference (t=−4.040, P<0.000) and greater number of somatic comorbidities (t=−2.101, P=0.041).

– patients with bipolar disorders in late stages have worse physical health than those in early stage.

– these results could be an indication that bipolar disorder might better viewed as a multisystem disorder.