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ObjectiveThe Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Bipolar Disorder (KMAP-BP) was first published in 2002 through an expert consensus of opinion, and updated in 2006, 2010, and 2014. This study constitutes the fourth revision of the KMAP-BP.MethodsA 50-item questionnaire was used to obtain the consensus of experts regarding pharmacological treatment strategies for various phases of adult bipolar disorder and six items for pediatric bipolar disorder. The review committee included 84 Korean psychiatrists and 43 child and adolescent psychiatry experts.ResultsThe preferred first-step strategies for acute mania were the combination of a mood stabilizer (MS) and an atypical antipsychotic (AAP), MS monotherapy, and AAP monotherapy. A combination of a MS and an AAP, and AAP monotherapy were preferred for psychotic mania. The first-step strategies for mild to moderate bipolar depression were monotherapy with MS, AAP, or lamotrigine (LMT), and the combination of a MS and an AAP or LMT, or a combination of an AAP and LMT. The combination of two among a MS, AAP, and LMT were preferred for non-psychotic severe depression. A combination of a MS and an AAP or the combination of an AAP with an antidepressant or LMT were the first-line options for psychotic severe depression.ConclusionThe recommendations of the KMAP-BP 2018 have changed from the previous version by reflecting recent developments in pharmacotherapy for bipolar disorder. KMAP-BP 2018 provides clinicians with a wealth of information regarding appropriate strategies for treating patients with bipolar disorder.

Objective: To evaluate any correlation between plasma levels of nitric oxide metabolites (NO_x) and suicide attempt. Method: Plasma NO_x levels were measured in 53 patients who had recently attempted suicide, 58 nonsuicidal psychiatric patients, and 75 normal controls. The severity of suicidal behaviors was evaluated using Weisman and Worden’s Risk-Rescue Rating Scale. Results: Plasma NO_x levels were significantly higher in suicidal patients than nonsuicidal psychiatric patients or normal control subjects (F = 11.029, d.f. = 2, 183, p < 0.001). Among the patients with a diagnosis of major depression, suicidal depressive patients had significantly higher plasma NO_x levels than nonsuicidal depressive patients (t = –3.090, d.f. = 84, p = 0.003). Conclusion: Our study suggests that increased NO production in plasma is associated with suicide attempt, especially in depressive patients.

Objective: We revised the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Bipolar Disorder (KMAP-BP), first published in 2002 and revised in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018, to reflect recent progress in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Methods: The questionnaires consisted of 56 items for adult patients and 7 items for child/adolescent patients, and were used to obtain the consensus of experts regarding pharmacological treatment strategies for various phases of bipolar disorder. The review committee included 87 Korean psychiatrists and 40 child and adolescent psychiatry experts. Results: For treatment of manic episodes, a combination of a mood stabilizer (MS) and atypical antipsychotics (AAP), or monotherapy with MS or AAP were recommended as first-line treatments. Combinations of MS and AAP, or AAP and lamotrigine (LMT) were recommended as first-line treatments for depressive episodes regardless of the severity. Monotherapy with MS, AAP, or LMT were also first-line treatments for mild to moderate depressive episodes. For mixed features, a combination of MS and AAP, or monotherapy with AAP or MS were recommended as first-line treatments, and a combination of AAP and LMT, or MS and LMT were the first-line treatments for depressive mixed state. Conclusion: The recommendations of the KMAP-BP 2022 have changed from the previous version, to reflect the evolution of the social culture and healthcare system in Korea and recent evidence regarding pharmacotherapy of bipolar disorder. The KMAP-BP 2022 provides clinicians with a wealth of information regarding appropriate strategies to treat patients with bipolar disorder.

ObjectiveChronic ‘latent’ infection by Toxoplasma gondii is common and most of the hosts have minimal symptoms or they are even asymptomatic. However, there are possible mechanisms by which T. gondii may affect human behavior and it may also cause humans to attempt suicide. This article aimed to investigate the potential pathophysiological relationship between suicide attempts and T. gondii infection in Korea.MethodsOne hundred fifty-five psychiatric patients with a history of suicide attempt and 135 healthy control individuals were examined with enzyme-linked immunoassays and fluorescent antibody technique for T. gondii seropositivity and antibody titers. The group of suicide attempters was interviewed regarding the history of suicide attempt during lifetime and evaluated using 17-item Korean version of Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Korean-Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS).ResultsImmunoglobulin G antibodies were found in 21 of the 155 suicide attempters and in 8 of the 135 controls (p=0.011). The Toxoplasma-seropositive suicide attempters had a higher HAMD score on the depressed mood and feeling of guilt subscales and a higher total score than the seronegative suicide attempters. T. gondii seropositive status was associated with higher C-SSRS in the severity and lethality subscales. T. gondii IgG seropositivity was significantly associated with higher STAI-X1 scores in the suicide attempters group.ConclusionSuicide attempters showed higher seroprevalence of T. gondii than healthy controls. Among the suicide attempters, the T. gondii seropositive and seronegative groups showed several differences in the aspects of suicide. These results suggested a significant association between T. gondii infection and psychiatric problems in suicidality.

ObjectiveTo constitute the third revision of the guidelines for the treatment of bipolar disorder issued by the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Bipolar Disorder (KMAP-BP 2014).MethodsA 56-item questionnaire was used to obtain the consensus of experts regarding pharmacological treatment strategies for the various phases of bipolar disorder and for special populations. The review committee included 110 Korean psychiatrists and 38 experts for child and adolescent psychiatry. Of the committee members, 64 general psychiatrists and 23 child and adolescent psychiatrists responded to the survey.ResultsThe treatment of choice (TOC) for euphoric, mixed, and psychotic mania was the combination of a mood stabilizer (MS) and an atypical antipsychotic (AAP); the TOC for acute mild depression was monotherapy with MS or AAP; and the TOC for moderate or severe depression was MS plus AAP/antidepressant. The first-line maintenance treatment following mania or depression was MS monotherapy or MS plus AAP; the first-line treatment after mania was AAP monotherapy; and the first-line treatment after depression was lamotrigine (LTG) monotherapy, LTG plus MS/AAP, or MS plus AAP plus LTG. The first-line treatment strategy for mania in children and adolescents was MS plus AAP or AAP monotherapy. For geriatric bipolar patients, the TOC for mania was AAP/MS monotherapy, and the TOC for depression was AAP plus MS or AAP monotherapy.ConclusionThe expert consensus in the KMAP-BP 2014 differed from that in previous publications; most notably, the preference for AAP was increased in the treatment of acute mania, depression, and maintenance treatment. There was increased expert preference for the use of AAP and LTG. The major limitation of the present study is that it was based on the consensus of Korean experts rather than on experimental evidence.

The objective of this study was to compare recommendations of the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Bipolar Disorder 2022 (KMAP-BP 2022) with other recently published guidelines for treating bipolar disorder. We reviewed a total of six recently published global treatment guidelines and compared treatment recommendation of the KMAP-BP 2022 with those of other guidelines. For initial treatment of mania, there were no significant differences across treatment guidelines. All guidelines recommended mood stabilizer (MS) or atypical antipsychotic (AAP) monotherapy or a combination of an MS with an AAP as a first-line treatment strategy in a same degree for mania. However, the KMAP-BP 2022 recommended MS + AAP combination therapy for psychotic mania, mixed mania and psychotic depression as treatment of choice. Aripiprazole, quetiapine and olanzapine were the first-line AAPs for nearly all phases of bipolar disorder across guidelines. Some guideline suggested olanzapine is a second-line options during maintenance treatment, related to concern about long-term tolerability. Most guidelines advocated newer AAPs (asenapine, cariprazine, long-acting injectable risperidone, and aripiprazole once monthly) as first-line treatment options for all phases while lamotrigine was recommended for depressive and maintenance phases. Lithium and valproic acid were commonly used as MSs in all phases of bipolar disorder. KMAP-BP 2022 guidelines were similar to other guidelines, reflecting current changes in prescription patterns for bipolar disorder based on accumulated research data. Strong preference for combination therapy was characteristic of KMAP-BP 2022, predominantly in the treatment of psychotic mania, mixed mania and psychotic depression.