Acute Bipolar I Affective Episode Presentation Across Life Span

Abstract

Objectives. There is a paucity of evidence on bipolar I acute symptoms’ presentation in the elderly individuals compared to younger patients. The current literature provides little, and at times conflicting, information on age-related bipolar disorder (BD) symptom presentation. This article aims to compare symptom profile by age group among patients with bipolar I in an acute affective episode as evaluated in outpatient settings. Methods. The current analyses include all Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) participants with a lifetime diagnosis of bipolar I disorder. We compared the presence and severity of acute mood elevation (mania and hypomania) and acute depression symptoms between younger (20-59 years old) and older individuals (older than or equal to 60 years). Results. With the exception of distractibility, all acute depression symptoms presented with comparable frequency and severity between younger and older individuals. No statistical significance was found regarding the presence of psychotic symptoms between the 2 groups, with symptoms reported by 11.2% of younger versus 9.4% older individuals, χ2(1, N = 1541) = 0.03, P = .74. No significant effects were found for mood elevation severity between the 2 age groups. Psychotic symptoms were reported in 12.7% versus 15.2%, χ2 (1, N = 658) = 0.07, P = .65, and irritability in 97.7% versus 97.8%, χ2(1, N = 651) = 0.00, P = 1.00, in the younger and older group, respectively. Conclusion. We found no statistically significant association between age and symptoms presentation of acute depression and mood elevation among patients with BD I. Acute BD I affective states present with similar profile and severity in old and young patients.