Characterizing female bipolar alcoholic patients presenting for initial evaluation

This study examined gender differences of age and race-matched group of bip olar disorder (BPO) patients with comorbid alcohol dependence (AD; n = 65; males = 35, females = 30) to a group of BPO patients without comorbid AD (n = 61; males = 22, females = 39). The two groups were also similar on marit al status and frequency of BPO subtypes. The results revealed that female b ipolar alcoholic patients were more likely to report depressive symptoms as compared to either male bipolar alcoholics or both male and female non-alc oholic bipolar patients. When compared to male bipolar alcoholics, they had higher frequency of depressed mood, slow motor behavior, low self-esteem, decreased libido, decreased appetite, and higher general anxiety symptoms. On the other hand, female bipolar alcoholics differed from female non-alcoh olic bipolar patients on reports of mood lability, depressed mood, low self -esteem, suicidal indicators, decreased libido, and general anxiety symptom s. These results raise the question of whether alcohol increases the freque ncy of depressive symptoms among female bipolar patients. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.