Thing one and thing two1: What 'Doctors use' to doctor you?

Bipolar I and bipolar II subtypes in older age: Results from the Global Aging and Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder (GAGE-BD) project

OBJECTIVES

The distinction between bipolar I disorder (BD-I) and bipolar II disorder (BD-II) has been a topic of long-lasting debate. This study examined differences between BD-I and BD-II in a large, global sample of OABD, focusing on general functioning, cognition and somatic burden as these domains are often affected in OABD.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analyses were conducted with data from the Global Aging and Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder (GAGE-BD) database. The sample included 963 participants aged ≥50 years (714 BD-I, 249 BD-II). Sociodemographic and clinical factors were compared between BD subtypes including adjustment for study cohort. Multivariable analyses were conducted with generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and estimated associations between BD subtype and (1) general functioning (GAF), (2) cognitive performance (g-score) and (3) somatic burden, with study cohort as random intercept.

RESULTS

After adjustment for study cohort, BD-II patients more often had a late onset ≥50 years (p = 0.008) and more current severe depression (p = 0.041). BD-I patients were more likely to have a history of psychiatric hospitalization (p < 0.001) and current use of anti-psychotics (p = 0.003). Multivariable analyses showed that BD subtype was not related to GAF, cognitive g-score or somatic burden.

CONCLUSION

BD-I and BD-II patients did not differ in terms of general functioning, cognitive impairment or somatic burden. Some clinical differences were observed between the groups, which could be the consequence of diagnostic definitions. The distinction between BD-I and BD-II is not the best way to subtype OABD patients. Future research should investigate other disease specifiers in this population.

Bipolar disorder in the International Classification of Diseases-Eleventh version: A review of the changes, their basis, and usefulness

The World Health Organization’s 11^th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) including the chapter on mental disorders has come into effect this year. This review focuses on the “Bipolar or Related Disorders” section of the ICD-11 draft. It describes the benchmarks for the new version, particularly the foremost principle of clinical utility. The alterations made to the diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) are evaluated on their scientific basis and clinical utility. The change in the diagnostic requirements for manic and hypomanic episodes has been much debated. Whether the current criteria have achieved an optimum balance between sensitivity and specificity is still not clear. The ICD-11 definition of depressive episodes is substantially different, but the lack of empirical support for the changes has meant that the reliability and utility of bipolar depression are relatively low. Unlike the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5^th edition (DSM-5), the ICD-11 has retained the category of mixed episodes. Although the concept of mixed episodes in the ICD-11 is not perfect, it appears to be more inclusive than the DSM-5 approach. Additionally, there are some uncertainties about the guidelines for the subtypes of BD and cyclothymic disorder. The initial results on the reliability and clinical utility of BD are promising, but the newly created diagnostic categories also appear to have some limitations. Although further improvement and research are needed, the focus should now be on facing the challenges of implementation, dissemination, and education and training in the use of these guidelines.