Course of bipolar disorder in patients with Childhood maltreatment

Introduction Patients with mood disorders have the greater frequency of childhood trauma compared with the general population, and adverse childhood experiences can exert a negative impact on their clinical course. Therefore, many studies confirmed the relationship between childhood traumas and the...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: A. Mellouli, R. Masmoudi, F. Guermazi, F. Cherif, I. Feki, R. Sellami, J. Masmoudi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2023-03-01
Series:European Psychiatry
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823014505/type/journal_article
_version_ 1797616039483146240
author A. Mellouli
R. Masmoudi
F. Guermazi
F. Cherif
I. Feki
R. Sellami
J. Masmoudi
author_facet A. Mellouli
R. Masmoudi
F. Guermazi
F. Cherif
I. Feki
R. Sellami
J. Masmoudi
author_sort A. Mellouli
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Patients with mood disorders have the greater frequency of childhood trauma compared with the general population, and adverse childhood experiences can exert a negative impact on their clinical course. Therefore, many studies confirmed the relationship between childhood traumas and the disadvantageous features of the illness course. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the impact of negative childhood experiences on the clinical course of bipolar disorder. Methods It was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study involving patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and followed in the psychiatric department at the University Hospital of Sfax (Tunisia).Personal information form and Childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) were used for data acquisition. Euthymia was defined as a score on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) not higher than 14 and by a score on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) not higher than seven. Results We included 35 patients. Their mean age was 46.69 ± 12.01 years with a sex ratio (M/F)=0.45. The average onset of bipolar disorder was 28.37±10.26 years and the average disease duration was 18.26 ± 11.55 years. Almost the third of our population had a suicidal attempt (31.42%) and a violence history (28.57%). A family history of bipolar disorder was found in 57.14% of the patients. The patients have been hospitalized at least once in 42.85% of cases. Our patients have presented psychotic symptoms in 51.42% of cases and mixed characteristics in 57.14% of cases. Emotional, physical and sexual abuse were reported by 42.85%, 37.14% , 31,42% of patients, respectively, while 74,28% and 42.85% of patients reported physical neglect and emotional neglect. Early age at illness onset was significantly associated with total CTQ score (p=0.014) and the subtype sexual abuse (p=0.009). The presence of psychotic symptomswas significantly associated with total CTQ score (p=0.003) and emotional neglect (p=0.025). Physical neglect was associated with mixed characteristics (p=0.015). Emotional abuse was associated with a greater number of hospitalisations (p=0.023). Conclusions Our results suggest that childhood trauma is associated with a more severe course of bipolar illness. Clinical assessment of patients with bipolar disorder should include investigation of exposure to childhood trauma in order to determine appropriate therapeutic strategies. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
first_indexed 2024-03-11T07:35:32Z
format Article
id doaj.art-05aed607a4044f0c8e37df5d3fb890c5
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0924-9338
1778-3585
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T07:35:32Z
publishDate 2023-03-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series European Psychiatry
spelling doaj.art-05aed607a4044f0c8e37df5d3fb890c52023-11-17T05:09:44ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852023-03-0166S693S69310.1192/j.eurpsy.2023.1450Course of bipolar disorder in patients with Childhood maltreatmentA. Mellouli0R. Masmoudi1F. Guermazi2F. Cherif3I. Feki4R. Sellami5J. Masmoudi6Psychiatry A Department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaPsychiatry A Department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaPsychiatry A Department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaPsychiatry A Department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaPsychiatry A Department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaPsychiatry A Department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, TunisiaPsychiatry A Department, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia Introduction Patients with mood disorders have the greater frequency of childhood trauma compared with the general population, and adverse childhood experiences can exert a negative impact on their clinical course. Therefore, many studies confirmed the relationship between childhood traumas and the disadvantageous features of the illness course. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the impact of negative childhood experiences on the clinical course of bipolar disorder. Methods It was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study involving patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and followed in the psychiatric department at the University Hospital of Sfax (Tunisia).Personal information form and Childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) were used for data acquisition. Euthymia was defined as a score on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) not higher than 14 and by a score on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) not higher than seven. Results We included 35 patients. Their mean age was 46.69 ± 12.01 years with a sex ratio (M/F)=0.45. The average onset of bipolar disorder was 28.37±10.26 years and the average disease duration was 18.26 ± 11.55 years. Almost the third of our population had a suicidal attempt (31.42%) and a violence history (28.57%). A family history of bipolar disorder was found in 57.14% of the patients. The patients have been hospitalized at least once in 42.85% of cases. Our patients have presented psychotic symptoms in 51.42% of cases and mixed characteristics in 57.14% of cases. Emotional, physical and sexual abuse were reported by 42.85%, 37.14% , 31,42% of patients, respectively, while 74,28% and 42.85% of patients reported physical neglect and emotional neglect. Early age at illness onset was significantly associated with total CTQ score (p=0.014) and the subtype sexual abuse (p=0.009). The presence of psychotic symptomswas significantly associated with total CTQ score (p=0.003) and emotional neglect (p=0.025). Physical neglect was associated with mixed characteristics (p=0.015). Emotional abuse was associated with a greater number of hospitalisations (p=0.023). Conclusions Our results suggest that childhood trauma is associated with a more severe course of bipolar illness. Clinical assessment of patients with bipolar disorder should include investigation of exposure to childhood trauma in order to determine appropriate therapeutic strategies. Disclosure of Interest None Declaredhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823014505/type/journal_article
spellingShingle A. Mellouli
R. Masmoudi
F. Guermazi
F. Cherif
I. Feki
R. Sellami
J. Masmoudi
Course of bipolar disorder in patients with Childhood maltreatment
European Psychiatry
title Course of bipolar disorder in patients with Childhood maltreatment
title_full Course of bipolar disorder in patients with Childhood maltreatment
title_fullStr Course of bipolar disorder in patients with Childhood maltreatment
title_full_unstemmed Course of bipolar disorder in patients with Childhood maltreatment
title_short Course of bipolar disorder in patients with Childhood maltreatment
title_sort course of bipolar disorder in patients with childhood maltreatment
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933823014505/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT amellouli courseofbipolardisorderinpatientswithchildhoodmaltreatment
AT rmasmoudi courseofbipolardisorderinpatientswithchildhoodmaltreatment
AT fguermazi courseofbipolardisorderinpatientswithchildhoodmaltreatment
AT fcherif courseofbipolardisorderinpatientswithchildhoodmaltreatment
AT ifeki courseofbipolardisorderinpatientswithchildhoodmaltreatment
AT rsellami courseofbipolardisorderinpatientswithchildhoodmaltreatment
AT jmasmoudi courseofbipolardisorderinpatientswithchildhoodmaltreatment