Demographic and clinical differences between early- and late-onset bipolar disorders in a multicenter study in China.
Little is known about the demographic and clinical differences between early-onset (EOB) and late-onset bipolar disorders (LOB) in Chinese patients. This multi-center study examined the demographic and clinical characteristics of EOB (≤21 years) and LOB (>21 years) in China. A consecutively recruited sample of 555 patients with bipolar disorder (BD) from 7 psychiatric hospitals and general hospital psychiatric units across China was examined. Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics were collected using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure. There were 181 (34.8%) patients with EOB and 339 (65.2%) with LOB. Univariate analyses revealed that compared to the LOB group, the EOB group were more likely to be older, unemployed, have a longer illness duration, have BD-I and misdiagnosed as schizophrenia but were less likely to be misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder and receiving antidepressants. Multivariate analyses revealed that unemployment and longer duration of illness were independently associated with EOB. The clinical differences between early-onset and late-onset BD patients in China were largely consistent with those found in Western countries. Early-onset BD appear to be associated with poorer outcomes. Prospective studies examining the long-term outcomes in relation to age-at-onset are needed.
The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, China & Center of Depression, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders & Mood Disorders Center, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Unit of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China.
Ling
L
Zhang
Division of Mood Disorders, Shenzhen Mental Health Centre, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China.
Hai-Chen
HC
Yang
Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan province, China.
Xiu-Feng
XF
Xu
Division of Mood Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Yi-Ru
YR
Fang
Peking University Institute of Mental Health (the sixth Hospital) & National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & the key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China.
Xin
X
Yu
Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China.
Qing-Rong
QR
Tan
The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China.
Hui-Chun
HC
Li
The University of Notre Dame Australia / Marian Centre, Perth, Australia; School of Psychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Gabor S
GS
Ungvari
Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Chee H
CH
Ng
The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, China & Center of Depression, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders & Mood Disorders Center, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: gangwangdoc@gmail.com.
Gang
G
Wang
Unit of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China. Electronic address: xyutly@gmail.com.
Yu-Tao
YT
Xiang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
Bipolar disorder; China; Early onset; Late onset