Researchers analyzed observational data from 1,128 participants in the Prechter Longitudinal Study of Bipolar Disorder (PLS-BD), including 281 controls, and a larger cohort of 10,735 bipolar disorder (BD) patients with 7,826 controls from University of Michigan Health clinics. Using logistical regression, it assessed mortality rates in patients with BD compared to controls, considering common comorbidities and causes of death. Outcome and treatment measures were employed to differentiate between living and deceased patients with BD. The findings indicate significantly higher mortality rates in patients with BD compared to controls in both cohorts. Deceased patients with BD showed elevated depression measures, but no significant differences in mania, anxiety measures, or medication use. The study concludes that a BD diagnosis increases mortality odds more than a history of smoking or being older than 60 years old, a finding consistent in both cohorts.
Reference: Yocum AK, Friedman E, Bertram HS, et al. Comparative mortality risks in two independent bipolar cohorts. Psychiatry Res. 2023 Dec;330:115601. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115601. Epub 2023 Nov 10. PMID: 37976662.
