title: Characteristics of bipolar disorder patients given antidepressants.
abstract: Evidence concerning efficacy of antidepressants in bipolar disorder remains inconsistent and inconclusive. As the appropriate clinical use for such patients remains unclear, we characterized outpatients with bipolar disorders who were or were not treated with antidepressants. Clinical data were collected systematically from consecutive outpatients in 11 participating Argentine mood-disorder clinics in 2007-2008. Diagnoses met DSM-IV criteria, supported by structured interviews based on the MINI-500. Of 338 outpatients diagnosed with bipolar I (45.0%), II (29.3%), or not-otherwise-specified (NOS) (25.7%) disorder, 128 (37.9%) received antidepressants. Subjects given antidepressants or not did not differ significantly by presence or severity of current depression or being suicidal but were more likely to be women. Bipolar I disorder patients were three times less likely than types II or NOS to receive an antidepressant, with or without a mood-stabilizer or antimanic agent. Despite inconclusive evidence for efficacy and safety of antidepressants in various phases of bipolar disorders, 37.9% of such patients were receiving an antidepressant in 11 Argentine outpatient clinics. Antidepressant treatment was least likely with type I disorder and was independent of current depression and not associated with more use of mood-stabilizing or antimanic agents.
authors.affiliation: Psinapsys Psychiatric Center, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Laura S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lorenzo
authors.forename: Gustavo H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Rodolfo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Zaratiegui
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tondo
authors.forename: Ross J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Baldessarini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001118:Argentina; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018692:Antimanic Agents