J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2007 Mar;46(2):122-128.

Clinical Features and Prognosis Related to Age at Onset in Bipolar Disorder: A Prospective 1 Year Follow-Up

• Na KS
• Kim YK

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
There have been several studies demonstrating that age at onset is associated with clinical and functional outcome in bipolar disorder. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether age at onset would influence on the prognosis of patients with bipolar I disorder in a Korean sample.
METHODS
Thirty-one patients with bipolar I disorder (DSM-IV) were recruited. Age at onset was split at age 30 years into early onset (n=15) and late onset (n=16) groups. These patients were followed at 1 year to assess re-hospitalization, psychiatric symptoms (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Young Mania Rating Scale), and social functioning (Korean version of the Social Adjustment Scale II revised version : KSAS II-RV). The subgroups were compared by Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test.
RESULTS
Early onset group had more psychotic symptoms at hospitalization (chi-square=5.743, p=.029) and had more KSAS IIRV score after 1 year (U=49.000, p=.004). Other psychiatric symptoms except psychosis were not significantly different between early onset and late onset group. KSAS II-RV score was not significantly correlated with BPRS and YMRS score.
CONCLUSION
Our data suggest that early onset group may have poorer social functioning than late onset group in bipolar I disorder.

Keyword

Age at onset; Bipolar disorder; Course; Outcome; Relapse; Social adjustment scale

MeSH Terms

Bipolar Disorder*
Follow-Up Studies*
Hospitalization
Humans
Prognosis*
Prospective Studies*
Psychotic Disorders
Recurrence
Social Adjustment