15 - Predominant Polarity in Bipolar Disorder in a Tunisian Population

Abstract

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe, chronic and disabling mental illness that affects approximately 2,4% of the general population worldwide. The consideration of the general course of BD is the subject of recent research to personalize the treatment. In this context, the study of the predominant polarity (PP) has been developed in recent years. OBJECTIVES:Our study aimed to examine the distribution of predominant polarity in a Tunisian population of patients followed for BD 1, and to compare different clinical features, co-morbidities, as well as treatment depending on the predominant polarity. METHODS:This is a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study. A total of 188 patients followed for type I bipolar disorder were recruited. The definition of the predominant polarity retained is the presence of at least two thirds of episodes in the whole life on the same pole. We define then a predominant depressive polarity (DPP) and a predominant maniac polarity (MPP).MPP and DPP patients were compared on a broad range of parameters, including sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, co-morbidities and treatments. RESULTS: The average age in our population was 37,29 years old.The sex ratio (♂ / ♀) = 0,84.  In our sample, 64,1% of the subjects followed for a type 1 BD fulfilled the criteria of MPP, and 33,9% of them fulfilled the criteria of DPP.