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. 2020 Dec;10(12):e01862.
doi: 10.1002/brb3.1862. Epub 2020 Sep 30.

Preclinical atherosclerosis in adolescents with psychotic or bipolar disorders investigated with carotid high-frequency ultrasound

Hannes Bohman  1   2 , Ingrid Agartz  3   4 , Shiva Mansouri  2 , Tord Naessen  5 , Mathias Lundberg  2
Affiliations

Preclinical atherosclerosis in adolescents with psychotic or bipolar disorders investigated with carotid high-frequency ultrasound

Hannes Bohman et al. Brain Behav. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: Early-onset psychosis (EOP) and bipolar disorder (EOBP) (at <18 years of age), are associated with an increased future risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and premature death. Yet it is unknown whether the arteries show visible signs of atherosclerosis in EOP and EOBP. This study investigated whether having EOP or EOBP was associated with detectable signs of preclinical atherosclerosis.

Method: By using 22 MHz high-frequency ultrasound, different layers of the arterial wall of the left common carotid artery (LCCA) were assessed in 77 individuals with EOP (n = 25), EOBP (n = 22), and in age-matched healthy controls (n = 30). Conventional CVD confounders were included in the analyses.

Results: Adolescents with EOP and EOBP, compared to controls, had a significantly thicker LCCA intima thickness (0.132 vs. 0.095 mm, p < .001) and intima/media ratio (0.24 vs. 0.17 p < .001). There was a nonsignificant intima difference between EOP and EOBP. Conventional CVD risk factors did not explain the association between EOP/EOBP and intima thickness. In the group of EOP/EOBP, there was a significant correlation between the dose of current antipsychotic medication and intima thickness; however, the correlation was attenuated to a nonsignificant level when adjusted for global function.

Conclusions: Adolescents with EOP or EOBP had an increased LCCA intima thickness, interpreted as a sign of preclinical atherosclerosis. Global function of the disorders was the strongest determinant of intima thickness. The findings, if replicated, might have implications for long-term treatment of EOP and EOBP in order to reduce a future risk of CVD.

Keywords: adolescents; atherosclerosis; bipolar disorder; psychosis; ultrasound.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Box plot with median and upper and lower quartile of intima thickness (mm) in adolescents with early‐onset psychosis (n = 25), early‐onset bipolar disorder (n = 22), and healthy controls (n = 30) compared
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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