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. 2021 Jan 4;9(1):3.
doi: 10.1186/s40345-020-00207-z.

Has Bipolar Disorder become a predominantly female gender related condition? Analysis of recently published large sample studies

Bernardo Dell'Osso  1   2   3 , Rita Cafaro  4 , Terence A Ketter  5
Affiliations

Has Bipolar Disorder become a predominantly female gender related condition? Analysis of recently published large sample studies

Bernardo Dell'Osso et al. Int J Bipolar Disord. .

Abstract

Bipolar Disorders (BD) are disabling and severe psychiatric disorders, commonly perceived as equally affecting both men and women. The prevalence of BD in the general population has been growing over the last decade, however, few epidemiological studies are available regarding BD gender distribution, leaving unanswered the question whether the often reported increment of BD diagnosis could be gender specific. In fact, BD in female patients can often be misdiagnosed as MDD, leaving such women non correctly treated for longer times than their male counterparts. From this perspective, we searched literature for large sample (> 1000 subjects) studies published in the last decade (2010 onward) on BD patients. We included ten large sample studies that reported the gender distribution of their samples, and we therefore analysed them. Our results show a higher preponderance of female patients in every sample and sub-sample of BDI and BDII, supporting our hypothesis of an increase in BD diagnosis in females. BD in women presents with higher rates of rapid cycling, depressive polarity and suicide attempts, characteristics of non inferior severity compared to males; prompt recognition and adequate treatment of BD is therefore crucial to reduce risks and improve quality of life of affected women. In this regard, our results could lead the way for national or international epidemiological studies with the aim of more accurately assessing gender-specific prevalence of BD.

Keywords: Bipolar disorders; Female gender; Gender differences; Prevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

In the last three years, Dr Dell’Osso has received lecture honoraria from Angelini, Lundbeck, Janssen, Pfizer, Neuraxpharm, Arcapharma and Livanova; Dr. Ketter has received grants from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, personal fees from Acadia Pharmaceuticals, personal fees from Allergan Pharmaceuticals, personal fees and other from Janssen Pharmaceuticals, personal fees from Myriad Genetic Laboratories, Inc., personal fees from Navigen, personal fees from Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, grants and personal fees from Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, personal fees from Supernus Pharmaceuticals, personal fees from Teva Pharmaceuticals, personal fees from GlaxoSmithKline, grants from Merck & Co., Inc., personal fees from American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., outside the submitted work. Dr. Cafaro reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Gender distribution in Bipolar Disorder as shown in the main large sample studies of the last ten years. a Graphic representation of gender distribution in 9 main large sample studies, reported as percentage of female and male participants upon the total number of BD patients; b percentages of females and males in BD type-specific samples; c gender distribution of three samples, confronted with the BD type-specific composition of the samples. BDI = Bipolar Disorder type I; BDII  Bipolar Disorder type II.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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