Demographic and clinical features of schizoaffective (schizobipolar) disorder--a 5-year retrospective study. Support for a bipolar spectrum disorder.
BACKGROUND
Schizobipolar disorder is considered related to both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. We aimed to describe with retrospective methodology the demographic, clinical, and treatment features in a group of schizobipolar disorder patients who have been treated for at least a 5-year period and compare them with bipolar I and schizophrenic patients who were treated during the same period.


METHODS
We compared the demographic and clinical data of 61 schizobipolar, 57 bipolar I, and 55 schizophrenic outpatients who were diagnosed and treated for at least 5 years in the outpatient clinic in the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.


RESULTS
The schizobipolar disorder patients had a profile similar to the bipolar I patients but are significantly different from schizophrenic patients in educational level, marital status, occupation, drug and alcohol abuse episodes, presence of depressive, mixed and maniac episodes, family history of bipolar I and mood disorders, and use of medications. Only the age of onset, suicide attempts, and family history of suicide are not significantly different among the groups. The schizophrenic patients used antipsychotics for more days and the schizobipolar and bipolar I used more antidepressants and mood stabilizers. 37 (60.6%) schizobipolar patients had their diagnosis changed to bipolar disorder by their physician in different periods during the period studied.


CONCLUSIONS
It is a retrospective data description based on a naturalistic treatment. The family history was collected from the patient and whenever possible from one first-degree relative.


CONCLUSIONS
Schizobipolar disorder patients have demographic, clinical and therapeutic features similar to bipolar I patients and data support its definite inclusion in the bipolar spectrum group.
Nardi
Antonio E
AE
Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, R. Visconde de Pirajá, 407/702, Rio de Janeiro, RJ-22410-003, Brazil. antonionardi@terra.com.br
Nascimento
Isabella
I
Freire
Rafael C
RC
de-Melo-Neto
Valfrido L
VL
Valença
Alexandre M
AM
Dib
Mônica
M
Soares-Filho
Gastão L
GL
Veras
André B
AB
Mezzasalma
Marco A
MA
Lopes
Fabiana L
FL
de Menezes
Gabriela B
GB
Grivet
Leila O
LO
Versiani
Marcio
M
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs