PREVALENCE OF BIPOLAR-II-DISORDER IN OUTPATIENT DEPRESSION - A 203-CASE STUDY IN PRIVATE-PRACTICE

Of 203 consecutive major depressed outpatients in a private setting, 4 5% had bipolar II disorder, 51% had unipolar depression, and 4% had bi polar I disorder. The observed prevalence of bipolar II disorder was h igher then previously reported in clinical samples (10-40%). Bipolar I Z disorder had age at baseline and onset lower than unipolar depressio n, and more atypical features. Other variables (baseline depression se verity, number of depressive episodes, psychosis, chronicity, comorbid ity) were similar, suggesting that the depressive phase of bipolar II disorder differs only in one, but important, dimension (atypical featu res) from unipolar depression in a private setting. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.