Risk factors of anxious symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder

Objective To analyze the risk factors of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics related to anxious symptoms in bipolar depression patients (BDP). Methods This was a secondary analysis of data from the Diagnostic Assessment Service for People with Bipolar Depression in China (DASP) from September 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011. According to the criterion that comorbid anxiety or not, BDP (n=306) were divided into comorbid anxiety group(n=200) (65.4%) and without anxiety group(n=106) (34.6%). Further analysis for risk factors of anxious symptoms in BDP was performed by the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results BDP with anxiety were younger(35.10±11.09), younger at illness onset(27.93±10.04), more male(t=4.603, P<0.05), more lifetime episodes(3.21±3.77), frequently episodes(t=17.328, P<0.05), inducement onset(t=14.859, P<0.05) and more seasonal episodes(t=8.300, P<0.05) compared with BDP without anxiety. Logistic regression analysis showed that inducement onset(OR=5.023)and episodes frequency (OR=10.852) was significantly associated with anxious symptom (P<0.05). Conclusion The finding indicates that postpartum onset and depressive episodes frequency may be risk factors of bipolar depression with anxiety. Key words: Bipolar disorder; Anxious characteristics; Risk factors