Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Schneck, C. D. Articles by Sachs, G. S. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Schneck, C. D. Articles by Sachs, G. S. Gender Bipolar Disorder Depression Epidemiology

Phenomenology of Rapid-Cycling Bipolar Disorder: Data From the First 500 Participants in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program

OBJECTIVE: This study compared demographic and phenomenological variables between bipolar patients with and without rapid cycling as a function of bipolar I versus bipolar II status. METHOD: The authors examined demographic, historical, and symptomatic features of patients with and without rapid cycling in a cross-sectional study of the first 500 patients with bipolar I or bipolar II disorder enrolled in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder, a multicenter project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health designed to evaluate the longitudinal outcome of patients with bipolar disorder. RESULTS: Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder occurred in 20% of the study group. Rapid-cycling patients were more likely to be women, although the effect was somewhat more pronounced among bipolar I patients than bipolar II patients. In addition, rapid-cycling bipolar patients experienced onset of their illness at a younger age, were more often depressed at study entry, and had poorer global functioning in the year before study entry than nonrapid-cycling patients. Rapid-cycling patients also experienced a significantly greater number of depressive and hypomanic/manic episodes in the prior year. A lifetime history of psychosis did not distinguish between rapid and nonrapid-cycling patients, although bipolar I patients were more likely to have experienced psychosis than bipolar II patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder demonstrate a greater severity of illness than nonrapid-cycling patients on a number of clinical measures. This study highlights the need to refine treatments for rapid cycling to reduce the overall morbidity and mortality of patients with this illness course modifier.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. J. Miklowitz, D. A. Axelson, B. Birmaher, E. L. George, D. O. Taylor, C. D. Schneck, C. A. Beresford, L. M. Dickinson, W. E. Craighead, and D. A. Brent Family-Focused Treatment for Adolescents With Bipolar Disorder: Results of a 2-Year Randomized Trial Arch Gen Psychiatry, September 1, 2008; 65(9): 1053 - 1061. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. D. Schneck, D. J. Miklowitz, S. Miyahara, M. Araga, S. Wisniewski, L. Gyulai, M. H. Allen, M. E. Thase, and G. S. Sachs The Prospective Course of Rapid-Cycling Bipolar Disorder: Findings From the STEP-BD Am J Psychiatry, March 1, 2008; 165(3): 370 - 377. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Reference List for FOCUS Self-Assessment Examination PsychiatryOnline CME, October 10, 2007; 2007(3): 2 - 2. [Full Text]

				B. Geller, R. Tillman, K. Bolhofner, B. Zimerman, N. A. Strauss, and P. Kaufmann Controlled, blindly rated, direct-interview family study of a prepubertal and early-adolescent bipolar I disorder phenotype: morbid risk, age at onset, and comorbidity. Arch Gen Psychiatry, October 1, 2006; 63(10): 1130 - 1138. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Birmaher, D. Axelson, M. Strober, M. K. Gill, S. Valeri, L. Chiappetta, N. Ryan, H. Leonard, J. Hunt, S. Iyengar, et al. Clinical Course of Children and Adolescents With Bipolar Spectrum Disorders Arch Gen Psychiatry, February 1, 2006; 63(2): 175 - 183. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. W. Kupka, D. A. Luckenbaugh, R. M. Post, T. Suppes, L. L. Altshuler, P. E. Keck Jr., M. A. Frye, K. D. Denicoff, H. Grunze, G. S. Leverich, et al. Comparison of Rapid-Cycling and Non-Rapid-Cycling Bipolar Disorder Based on Prospective Mood Ratings in 539 Outpatients Am J Psychiatry, July 1, 2005; 162(7): 1273 - 1280. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. P. Mackin Rapid cycling is equivalently prevalent in bipolar I and bipolar II disorder, and is associated with female gender and greater severity of illness Evid. Based Ment. Health, May 1, 2005; 8(2): 52 - 52. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Rapid Cycling in Bipolar I and II Disorders: A Description Journal Watch Psychiatry, November 3, 2004; 2004(1103): 3 - 3. [Full Text]

				J. Arehart-Treichel Rapid-Cycling Patients Show Earlier Age of Onset Psychiatr News, October 15, 2004; 39(20): 23 - 23. [Full Text]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2004 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us