Bipolar I disorder with comorbid PTSD: Demographic and clinical correlates in a sample of hospitalized patients.
According to data from epidemiological and clinical samples, there are elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among patients with bipolar disorder (BD). However, little is known about the clinical correlates that may distinguish patients with BD and comorbid PTSD from those without comorbid PTSD. The present study sought to elucidate those differences and examine factors, such as psychosis, history of suicide attempts, and comorbid personality disorders, which may predict comorbid PTSD in patients with BD-I.



We conducted a retrospective chart review of 230 psychiatric inpatients with BD-I.



Patients with BD-I and comorbid PTSD were significantly more likely to be female, to be depressed (vs. manic), to have a comorbid personality disorder, and to have a history of suicide attempt. Also, BD-I patients with PTSD were significantly less likely to present for their inpatient hospital stay with psychosis. These effects remained significant after controlling for mood episode polarity, suggesting that findings were not fully explained by the higher incidence of depression in the comorbid PTSD group.



Patients with BD-I and comorbid PTSD appear to be a high risk population with need for enhanced monitoring of suicidality. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Road, Houston, TX 77054, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Electronic address: Madhavi.K.Reddy@uth.tmc.edu.
Madhavi K
MK
Reddy
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Road, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
Thomas D
TD
Meyer
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1941 East Road, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
Natalie M
NM
Wittlin
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
Ivan W
IW
Miller
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 345 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
Lauren M
LM
Weinstock
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*