Medical Comorbidities in Bipolar Disorder

Abstract

We found numerous patterns of association between BD and various medical disorders involving multiple organ systems. One pattern indicated reciprocal increase in the rate of each comorbid condition, such as an increased rate of BD in asthma or migraine, and likewise an increase in the rate of asthma or migraine in patients with BD. A second pattern was a predominantly unidirectional increase in the rate of BD in patients with certain medical disorders, such as multiple sclerosis or cerebellar diseases. A third pattern was a predominantly unidirectional increased rate of medical disorders in patients with BD. One study suggested the potential involvement of genetic mechanisms for the association between BD and migraine. Most of the studies had cross-sectional or retrospective designs, and many relied on analysis of large administrative databases inviting multiple potential biases. Our review highlights the association between BD and a variety of medical disorders. Further research is needed to elucidate the potential underlying etiopathological mechanisms that contribute to observed comorbidities. The results of this review also emphasize the need for comprehensive screening for medical disorders in BD and for adoption of an integrated model of care to address these complex comorbidities.

Gender Differences in Complete Blood Count and Inflammatory Ratios among Patients with Bipolar Disorder

“…BD represents a leading cause of burden worldwide and contributes significantly to premature death [2]. Subjects with BD are at high risk of presenting with co-occurrent psychiatric illnesses, including alcohol and substance use disorders [3][4][5], as well as serious medical comorbidities [3,[6][7][8][9][10]. Moreover, suicide risk is up to 30 times higher in individuals with BD than the general population, with one in four to five subjects attempting suicide lifetime [11,12].…”

Effect of medication on risk of traumatic brain injury in patients with bipolar disorder: A nationwide population-based cohort study

“…BPD is characterized by episodes of expansive mood, impulsivity, reckless behavior, distractibility, and high risk of suicide (Plans et al, 2019). Patients with BPD are likely to have medical comorbidities, including stroke, migraine, asthma, obesity, and substance abuse, than those who are without BPD (Reilly-Harrington et al, 2018;Sinha et al, 2018). The premature mortality with shortened life expectancy by 10-20 years in BPD was revealed in studies with different clinical settings and communities (John et al, 2018).…”

Electroconvulsive therapy practice during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Patients with mental health conditions that have COVID-19 have higher hospitalization rates and worse prognosis, especially those with more severe disorders, in whom there is a high prevalence of medical comorbidities in this population (20). According to a recent review (21), patients with schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder have an increased risk of cardiovascular (e.g., coronary heart disease, heart failure, hypertension, angina, myocardial infarction), cerebrovascular (e.g., stroke, transient ischemic attacks), endocrine (e.g., diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders), respiratory (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), infectious (e.g., hepatitis C, immune deficiency and autoimmune diseases. These effects appear to be secondary to both mental illness and the use of psychotropic drugs.…”