Sociodemographic and Clinical Features of Antidepressant-Induced Hypomanic and Manic Switch in Patients with Bipolar Disorder

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify sociodemographic, familial, childhood and various clinical characteristics of bipolar disorder patients in whom hypomanic/manic switches had been observed during treatment with antidepressant drugs. Methods: One hundred sixty-one patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder on the basis of DSM-IV-TR were included. The study was a retrospective chart review. The sociodemographic, familial, childhood and various clinical characteristics of patients with manic or hypomanic switches (n=41, 25.4%) observed in association with antidepressant treatment during polyclinic or ward monitoring, or patients without switches (n=120, 74.6%) were compared. Patient data were obtained from Psychiatric Association of Turkey Mood Disorders Branch patient record forms. Results: The first disease episode in the switch group was more commonly a depressive one. Cesarean birth and enuresis nocturna were more common childhood characteristics in the switch group. No difference was determined between the groups in terms of other characteristics. Conclusion: Physicians should be careful in terms of hypomanic/manic switch in patients whose first episode is a depressive one. Our other two findings, cesarian birth and enuresis nocturna, may be significant in terms of suggesting clues for the planning of new studies illuminating the etiology.