Our results suggest a high rate of lifetime concurrent anxiety disorders in bipolar disorder .
The diagnostic issues at the interface are particularly difficult because of the substantial symptom overlap .
BACKGROUND Bipolar affective disorder has a high rate of comorbidity with a multitude of psychiatric disorders and medical conditions .
Among all the potential comorbidities , co-existing anxiety disorders st and out due to their high prevalence .
AIMS To determine the lifetime prevalence of comorbid anxiety disorders in bipolar affective disorder under the care of psychiatric services through systematic review and meta- analysis .
Clinical significance of lifetime panic spectrum symptoms in the treatment of patients with bipolar I disorder.
BACKGROUND Given the observed association between panic disorder and bipolar disorder and the potential negative influence of panic symptoms on the course of bipolar illness , we were interested in the effects of what we have defined as " panic spectrum " conditions on the clinical course and treatment outcome in patients with bipolar I ( BPI ) disorder . We hypothesized that lifetime panic spectrum features would be associated with higher levels of suicidal ideation and a poorer response to acute treatment of the index mood episode in this patient population . METHODS A sample of 66 patients with BPI disorder completed a self-report measure of lifetime panic-agoraphobic spectrum symptoms .  Patients falling above and below a predefined clinical threshold for panic spectrum were compared for clinical characteristics , the presence of suicidal ideation during acute treatment , and acute treatment response . RESULTS Half of this outpatient sample reported panic spectrum features above the predefined threshold . These lifetime features were associated with more prior depressive episodes , higher levels of depressive symptoms , and greater suicidal ideation during the acute-treatment phase . Patients with BPI disorder who reported high lifetime panic-agoraphobic spectrum symptom scores took 27 weeks longer than those who reported low scores to remit with acute treatment ( 44 vs 17 weeks , respectively ) . CONCLUSIONS The presence of lifetime panic spectrum symptoms in this sample of patients with BPI disorder was associated with greater levels of depression , more suicidal ideation , and a marked ( 6-month ) delay in time to remission with acute treatment . Alternate treatment strategies are needed for patients with BPI disorder who endorse lifetime panic spectrum features
Our results suggest a high rate of lifetime concurrent anxiety disorders in bipolar disorder .
The diagnostic issues at the interface are particularly difficult because of the substantial symptom overlap .
BACKGROUND Bipolar affective disorder has a high rate of comorbidity with a multitude of psychiatric disorders and medical conditions .
Among all the potential comorbidities , co-existing anxiety disorders st and out due to their high prevalence .
AIMS To determine the lifetime prevalence of comorbid anxiety disorders in bipolar affective disorder under the care of psychiatric services through systematic review and meta- analysis .