The Pandemic’s Impact on Patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder in a Non-COVID Medical Unit
Introduction Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness is a mental disorder which consists of abnormal and long-lasting changes in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions precipitate the condition of those with bipolar affective disorder. Obj...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-06-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822005776/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797617245452500992 |
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| author | V. Gheorman A. Ghițan Ș. Bușe F. Militaru M. Pîrlog I. Udriștoiu |
| author_facet | V. Gheorman A. Ghițan Ș. Bușe F. Militaru M. Pîrlog I. Udriștoiu |
| author_sort | V. Gheorman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness is a mental disorder which consists of abnormal and long-lasting changes in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions precipitate the condition of those with bipolar affective disorder.
Objectives
We searched for significant differences before and during the pandemic by analyzing socio-demographic
data.
Methods
We carried out a research activity at the I Psychiatry Clinic of the Clinical Hospital of Neuropsychiatry Craiova. We formed two groups of hospitalized patients during 2019 and during 2020, when the pandemic broke out. The inclusion criterion was the presence of bipolar affective disorder as a primary diagnosis.
Results
The number of cases and the total number of hospitalization days was higher during the pandemic, 101 cases versus 94 cases, 1667 days versus 1184 days. We identified a predominance of females during the pandemic, whereas in the previous year the distribution by sex was approximately equal. Regarding environment, the number of patients from urban and rural areas was approximately equal in 2019, while during the pandemic those in urban areas predominated, possibly due to easier access to psychiatric services. The ages of patients maintained a Gaussian distribution with a concentration of cases between 35-55 years.
Conclusions
While other psychiatric disorders were less present in the clinic during the pandemic, the number of bipolar affective disorder cases increased. Bipolar affective disorder is a major challenge due to the wide range of symptoms which cross with comorbidities that increase the likelihood of a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:53:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec66c5c850eb407f95b4cd185eb81853 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:53:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec66c5c850eb407f95b4cd185eb818532023-11-17T05:06:30ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S222S22210.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.577The Pandemic’s Impact on Patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder in a Non-COVID Medical UnitV. Gheorman0A. Ghițan1Ș. Bușe2F. Militaru3M. Pîrlog4I. Udriștoiu5University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Psychiatry, Craiova, RomaniaUniversity of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Psychiatry, Craiova, RomaniaUniversity of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Psychiatry, Craiova, RomaniaUniversity of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Psychiatry, Craiova, RomaniaUniversity of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Psychiatry, Craiova, RomaniaUniversity of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Psychiatry, Craiova, Romania Introduction Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness is a mental disorder which consists of abnormal and long-lasting changes in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions precipitate the condition of those with bipolar affective disorder. Objectives We searched for significant differences before and during the pandemic by analyzing socio-demographic data. Methods We carried out a research activity at the I Psychiatry Clinic of the Clinical Hospital of Neuropsychiatry Craiova. We formed two groups of hospitalized patients during 2019 and during 2020, when the pandemic broke out. The inclusion criterion was the presence of bipolar affective disorder as a primary diagnosis. Results The number of cases and the total number of hospitalization days was higher during the pandemic, 101 cases versus 94 cases, 1667 days versus 1184 days. We identified a predominance of females during the pandemic, whereas in the previous year the distribution by sex was approximately equal. Regarding environment, the number of patients from urban and rural areas was approximately equal in 2019, while during the pandemic those in urban areas predominated, possibly due to easier access to psychiatric services. The ages of patients maintained a Gaussian distribution with a concentration of cases between 35-55 years. Conclusions While other psychiatric disorders were less present in the clinic during the pandemic, the number of bipolar affective disorder cases increased. Bipolar affective disorder is a major challenge due to the wide range of symptoms which cross with comorbidities that increase the likelihood of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822005776/type/journal_articleBIPOLARnoncovidpandemyImpact |
| spellingShingle | V. Gheorman A. Ghițan Ș. Bușe F. Militaru M. Pîrlog I. Udriștoiu The Pandemic’s Impact on Patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder in a Non-COVID Medical Unit European Psychiatry BIPOLAR noncovid pandemy Impact |
| title | The Pandemic’s Impact on Patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder in a Non-COVID Medical Unit |
| title_full | The Pandemic’s Impact on Patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder in a Non-COVID Medical Unit |
| title_fullStr | The Pandemic’s Impact on Patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder in a Non-COVID Medical Unit |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Pandemic’s Impact on Patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder in a Non-COVID Medical Unit |
| title_short | The Pandemic’s Impact on Patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder in a Non-COVID Medical Unit |
| title_sort | pandemic s impact on patients with bipolar affective disorder in a non covid medical unit |
| topic | BIPOLAR noncovid pandemy Impact |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822005776/type/journal_article |
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