J Korean Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry.  2012 Mar;23(1):3-7.

Clinical Course of Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, Korea. yskcpy@jejunu.ac.kr

Abstract


OBJECTIVES
The early onset of mood symptoms in bipolar disorder has been associated with poor outcomes in many studies. However, aspects of the clinical course of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents are controversial. The goal of this article is to review the clinical characteristics and longitudinal course of children and adolescents with bipolar disorders.
METHODS
Searches were conducted in MedLine, PsycINFO, KISS, and RISS using the terms phenomenology, clinical course, outcome, BPD, pediatric, children and adolescents. Twenty-one reports were selected : either original articles reporting symptoms and clinical characteristics of subjects (ages 5-18 years), or published articles in reviewed journals about bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.
RESULTS
Approximately 70% of subjects with bipolar disorder recovered from their index episode, and 50% had at least 1 syndromal recurrence, particularly depressive episodes. For 60% of the follow-up time, subjects had syndromal or subsyndromal symptoms with numerous changes in symptoms and shifts of polarity. Approximately 20% of BP-II subjects converted BP-I.
CONCLUSION
Bipolar disorders in children and adolescents are characterized by episodic illness with subsyndromal and syndromal episodes with mainly depressive and mixed symptoms and rapid mood changes. Extensive follow-up time is needed to evaluate the continuity of bipolar disorder symptoms from childhood to adulthood.

Keyword

Pediatric Bipolar Disorder; Clinical Course; Outcome

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Bipolar Disorder
Child
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Recurrence
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