ANXIOUS AND NONANXIOUS BIPOLAR DISORDER

Eighty-one outpatients with bipolar disorder (BD) were grouped by SADS anxiety symptom scores (high vs. low) or diagnosis of generalized anx iety disorder, and/or panic disorder. BD patients with high anxiety sc ores were more likely to have suicidal behaviour (44% vs. 19%), alcoho l abuse (28% vs. 6%), cyclothymia (44% vs. 21%) and an anxiety disorde r (56% vs. 25%) with a trend toward lithium non-responsiveness. Diagno sis of an anxiety disorder was related only to high anxiety and lower GAS scores. Thus, anxiety may have similar clinical relevance in BD as it does in unipolar patients.