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Metabolic syndrome highly prevalent in youth with bipolar disorder

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among young people with bipolar disorder was about quadruple that of the general population, researchers reported in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Alhough evidence supports a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome and related components obesity, hypertension and hyperglycemiain adults with bipolar disorder, its prevalence among younger people with bipolar disorder remains largely unknown, Christine Li, MD, from Sunnybrook Health Sciences’ Centre for Youth Bipolar Disorder in Toronto, and colleagues wrote.

The researchers examined the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components as well as clinical characteristics in a cross-sectional, retrospective study of 162 young people aged 13 to 28 years with bipolar disorder. The investigators measured blood pressure, glucose, triglycerides and waist circumference at a single timepoint as well as evaluated mood, comorbidity and psychiatric treatment in the 6 months prior to assessment of metabolic syndrome components.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 19.8% in the sample (n = 32). Li and colleagues found that the most common metabolic syndrome measures were low HDL (56.5%), abdominal obesity (46.9%) and high blood pressure (24.2%).

“By comparison to the current sample, the prevalence of [International Diabetes Federation]-defined [metabolic syndrome] among adolescents in the general population is 5.5%,” Li and colleagues wrote.

In the 6 months before assessment, univariate analyses revealed that metabolic syndrome was linked to percentage of weeks in any full-threshold mood state (OR = 1.05; P = .04) full-threshold pure depression (OR = 1.07; P = .02) and percentage of weeks receiving antidepressant medications (OR = 1.06; P = .001); However, metabolic syndrome was not linked to manic symptoms or other medication use.

“Although results in the current study require replication in other samples with a direct comparison group, our findings suggest that excessive rates of and its components, which are risk factors for CVD and diabetes, are already apparent among adolescents and young adults with ,” Li and colleagues concluded. “This phenomenon calls for the need to implement early screening, prevention and intervention strategies for and its components.” – by Savannah Demko

Disclosure: Li reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.