title: Misdiagnosis of bipolar affective disorder as personality disorder.
abstract: Patients with longstanding recurrent behavioural disturbance, unstable interpersonal relationships and periodic affective symptoms are often diagnosed as having a cluster B personality disturbance using DSM-III-R criteria. Two women are described who were diagnosed as having a personality disorder on several admissions to hospital, but in whom closer inquiry revealed evidence of bipolar affective disorder. Since treatment with lithium and adjunctive mood-stabilizing drugs neither patient has required further admissions to hospital within the past five years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Tyrer
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Brittlebank
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D000639:Amitriptyline; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D002220:Carbamazepine