The comorbidity of bipolar disorder and axis II personality disorders: prevalence and clinical correlates.
OBJECTIVE
Many studies have examined the prevalence and predictive validity of axis II personality disorders among unipolar depressed patients, but few have examined these issues among bipolar patients. The few studies that do exist suggest that axis II pathology complicates the diagnosis and course of bipolar disorder. This study examined the prevalence of axis II disorder in bipolar patients who were clinically remitted.


METHODS
We assessed the co-occurrence of personality disorder among 52 remitted DSM-III-R bipolar patients using a structured diagnostic interview, the Personality Disorder Examination (PDE).


RESULTS
Axis II disorders can be rated reliably among bipolar patients who are in remission. Co-diagnosis of personality disorder occurred in 28.8% of patients. Cluster B (dramatic, emotionally erratic) and cluster C (fearful, avoidant) personality disorders were more common than cluster A (odd, eccentric) disorders. Bipolar patients with personality disorders differed from bipolar patients without personality disorders in the severity of their residual mood symptoms, even during remission.


CONCLUSIONS
When structured assessment of personality disorder is performed during a clinical remission, less than one in three bipolar patients meets full syndromal criteria for an axis II disorder. Examining rates of comorbid personality disorder in broad-based community samples of bipolar spectrum patients would further clarify the linkage between these sets of disorders.
George
Elizabeth L
EL
Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0345, USA. egeorge@psych.colorado.edu
Miklowitz
David J
DJ
Richards
Jeffrey A
JA
Simoneau
Teresa L
TL
Taylor
Dawn O
DO
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index