Affective disorders, hospital admissions, and seasonal variation of mania in a subtropical area, southern hemisphere.
Hospital admissions (n = 15,450) to a state psychiatric hospital in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil, over a 10-year period (1982-1991) were reviewed. 157 (1%) patients received a probable diagnosis of affective disorder according to DSM-III-R criteria. Among them, 46% had been diagnosed by the staff psychiatrists, and their diagnoses were sustained by the researchers, whereas 54% were diagnosed only by one of the researchers (F.K.C.). These last patients had previously received a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia or unspecified psychosis (ICD-9). Most of the patients with affective disorders were bipolar: 72 and 8%, respectively, presented manic and depressive episodes. Thus, only 20% received a diagnosis of major depression. A seasonal pattern in hospital admission was observed only for mania in women, their episodes occurring more often (p < 0.02) in spring and summer. No significant seasonal pattern in hospital admission for depression was found.
Kerr-Corrêa
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F
Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil. fcorrea@fmb.unesp.br
Souza
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LB
Calil
H M
HM
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D001938:Brazil; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors