Duration of Untreated Illness and Suicide in Bipolar Disorder: a Naturalistic Study

This naturalistic study evaluated the potential influence of the duration of untreated illness on the clinical course of bipolar disorder. 320 outpatients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, Type I or Type II, were interviewed & followed-up for 5 years. Patients with a longer duration of untreated illness showed a higher frequency of suicide attempts, a higher number of suicide attempters, & a longer duration of illness when compared to patients with a shorter duration of untreated illness. Results indicate a potential association between a longer duration of untreated illness & a worse outcome in bipolar disorder, particularly in terms of suicidality. (27 refs.) JA