Comparison Of Socio-Demographic And Clinical Profile Of Patients Of Unipolar And Bipolar Depression

Abstract

Background: Unipolar (UP) and bipolar (BP) disorders differ in genetics, neurobiology, clinical course, treatment regimens and prognosis. The present studycompared socio-demographic and clinical profile of patients of unipolar and bipolar depression.

Materials & Methods: 76 patients of unipolar and bipolar depression of both genderswere kept in group I and bipolar in group II. Socio-demographic and clinical profile of unipolar and bipolar patients was recorded.

Results: Out of 76 patients, males were 46 and females were 30. Total duration (years) was 13.5 and 17.2, age of onset (years) was 29.4 and 20.5, number of hospitalization was 2.3 and 5.4, number of episodes was 3.4 and 7.6, panic symptoms was seen in 11 and 7, delusions in 15 and 1, anhedonia in 21 and 13, pseudodementia in 6 and 2, suicidal thoughts in 2 and 5, catatonic featuresin 10 and 4 and depressive cognitionsin 5 and 3. The difference was significant (P< 0.05).

Conclusion: With the advent of the BP spectrum concept, it becomes all the more important not to miss bipolarity in patients with first episode depression. Adequate measures should be taken to understand the clinical markers of bipolarity.