title: Cardiovascular risk factors in outpatients with bipolar disorder: a report from the Brazilian Research Network in Bipolar Disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality due to comorbid general medical conditions, particularly cardiovascular disease. This study is the first report of the Brazilian Research Network in Bipolar Disorder (BRN-BD) that aims to evaluate the prevalence and clinical correlates of cardiovascular risk factors among Brazilian patients with BD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 159 patients with DSM-IV BD, 18 years or older, consecutively recruited from the Bipolar Research Program (PROMAN) in São Paulo and the Bipolar Disorder Program (PROTAHBI) in Porto Alegre. Clinical, demographic, anthropometric, and metabolic variables were systematically assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High rates of smoking (27%), physical inactivity (64.9%), alcohol use disorders (20.8%), elevated fasting glucose (26.4%), diabetes (13.2%), hypertension (38.4%), hypertriglyceridemia (25.8%), low HDL-cholesterol (27.7%), general (38.4%) and abdominal obesity (59.1%) were found in the sample. Male patients were more likely to have alcohol use disorders, diabetes, and hypertriglyceridemia, whereas female patients showed higher prevalence of abdominal obesity. Variables such as medication use pattern, alcohol use disorder, and physical activity were associated with selected cardiovascular risk factors in the multivariable analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report of the BRN-BD provides new data regarding prevalence rates and associated cardiovascular risk factors in Brazilian outpatients with BD. There is a need for increasing both awareness and recognition about metabolic and cardiovascular diseases in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Bipolar Disorder Program (PROTAHBI) and National Science and Technology Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), Hospital de ClÍnicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiano A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Karla M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Pedro V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: Sheila C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kauer-Sant'Anna
authors.forename: Beny
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lafer
authors.forename: Flávio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kapczinski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors