Clinical and Sociodemographic Correlates of Suicidality in Bipolar Patients

Abstract

Introduction

A major concern in patients with BIPOLAR Disorder (BD) is the high frequency of suicidality. It is important to determine the subgroup of patients particularly exposed to this risk.

Objectives

To explore sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of BD patients with a history of suicide attempts and compare them to those who never attempted suicide.

Methods

This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive and comparative study on 100 patients followed in our department and diagnosed with BD type I according to DSM 5. Demographic and clinical data was compared across the groups: suicide+ (S + ) and suicide–(S-).

Results

Overall, 77 patients never attempted suicide (S−), whereas 23 had made at least one suicide attempt (S+). Females represented 61,9% of the S+ group. S+ patients had more relatives with psychiatric illness (82,6% vs. 57.1%) and affective illness (43.5% vs. 33,8%). The mean diagnostic delay was 6.61 years in the S+ group vs. 4.58 in the S− group, with 78,3% of S+ patients first receiving another diagnosis than BD. S+ patients had significantly more depressive episodes and manic episodes with mixed features. Quality of intervals was worse in S+ patients. Anxiety comorbidity was significantly higher in the S+ group (52.2% vs. 13%; P = 0,000). Hyperthymic temperament was significantly associated with the S− group.

Conclusions

Depressive polarity, anxiety comorbidity, as well as diagnostic delay seem to elevate the risk for suicidality in bipolar patients. Suicidality should be closely monitored in patients with these characteristics.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.