Knr. Chengappa et al., Lifetime prevalence of substance or alcohol abuse and dependence among subjects with bipolar I and II disorders in a voluntary registry, BIPOL DIS, 2(3), 2000, pp. 191-195
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of substance abuse dependence and/or
alcohol abuse dependence among subjects with bipolar I versus bipolar II di
sorder in a voluntary registry.
Method: One hundred randomly selected registrants in a voluntary case regis
try for bipolar disorder were interviewed, using the Structured Clinical In
terview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, to validate the diagnosis of this regi
stry. Corroborative information was obtained from medical records, family m
embers and the treating psychiatrist. Eighty-nine adults (18-65 years) met
criteria for bipolar disorder (bipolar I = 71, bipolar II = 18) and were in
cluded in this analysis.
Results: Forty-one (57.8%) subjects with bipolar I disorder abused, or were
dependent on one or more substances or alcohol. 28.2% abused, or were depe
ndent on, two substances or alcohol, and 11.3% abused or were dependent on
three or more substances or alcohol. Nearly 39% of bipolar II subjects abus
ed or were dependent on one or more substances, nearly 17% were dependent o
n two or more substances or alcohol, and 11% were dependent on three or mor
e substances or alcohol. Alcohol was the most commonly abused drug among ei
ther bipolar I or II subjects.
Conclusions: Consistent with other epidemiologic and hospital population st
udies, this voluntary bipolar disorder registry suggests a high prevalence
of comorbidity with alcohol and/or substance abuse dependence, Bipolar I su
bjects appear to have higher rates of these comorbid conditions than bipola
r II subjects, however, as the number of bipolar II subjects was rather sma
ll, this suggestion needs confirmation.