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ObjectivesThe distinction between bipolar I disorder (BD-I) and bipolar II disorder (BD-II) has been a topic of long-lasting debate. This study examined differences between BD-I and BD-II in a large, global sample of OABD, focusing on general functioning, cognition and somatic burden as these domains are often affected in OABD.MethodsCross-sectional analyses were conducted with data from the Global Aging and Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder (GAGE-BD) database. The sample included 963 participants aged ≥50 years (714 BD-I, 249 BD-II). Sociodemographic and clinical factors were compared between BD subtypes including adjustment for study cohort. Multivariable analyses were conducted with generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and estimated associations between BD subtype and (1) general functioning (GAF), (2) cognitive performance (g-score) and (3) somatic burden, with study cohort as random intercept.ResultsAfter adjustment for study cohort, BD-II patients more often had a late onset ≥50 years (p = 0.008) and more current severe depression (p = 0.041). BD-I patients were more likely to have a history of psychiatric hospitalization (p

BackgroundCardiovascular disease in individuals with mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder is highly prevalent and often poorly managed. Individuals with bipolar disorder face significant medication adherence barriers, especially when they are prescribed multiple medications for other health conditions including hypertension. Poor adherence puts them at a disproportionate risk for poor health outcomes. As such, there is a need for effective interventions to improve hypertension medication adherence, particularly in patients that struggle with adherence due to mental health comorbidity.MethodsThis 5-year project uses a 2-stage randomized controlled trial design to evaluate a brief, practical adherence intervention delivered via interactive text messaging (iTAB-CV) along with self-monitoring of medication taking, mood, and home blood pressure (N = 100) compared to self-monitoring alone (N = 100). Prior to randomization, all participants will view an educational video that emphasizes the importance of medication for the treatment of hypertension and bipolar disorder. Those randomized to the texting intervention will receive daily text messages with predetermined content to address 11 salient domains as well as targeted customized messages for 2 months. This group will then be re-randomized to receive either a high (gradual taper from daily to weekly texts) or low booster (weekly texts) phase for an additional 2 months. All participants will be monitored for 52 weeks. The primary outcomes are systolic blood pressure and adherence to antihypertensive medication as determined by a self-reported questionnaire and validated with an automated pill-monitoring device. Secondary outcomes include adherence to bipolar disorder medications, psychiatric symptoms, health status, self-efficacy for medication-taking behavior, illness beliefs, medication attitudes, and habit strength.DiscussionThis study specifically targets blood pressure and mental health symptom control in people with bipolar and includes implementation elements in the study design intended to inform future scale-up. Promising pilot data and a theoretical model, which views sustained medication-taking behavior in the context of habit formation, suggests that this remotely delivered intervention may help advance care for this high-risk population and is amenable to both scale up and easy adaptation for other groups with poor medication adherence.Trial registrationThe study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04675593 ) on December 19, 2020.

OBJECTIVES: There is limited information on the characteristics of older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD) treated with lithium, along with safety concerns about its use by older adults. The aim of the present study is to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of OABD receiving lithium therapy, using data from the Global Ageing & Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder (GAGE-BD). EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES: Cross-sectional analysis of the GAGE-BD dataset to determine differences and similarities between lithium users and non-users. We analysed data from 986 participants aged 50 years or older (mean age 63.5 years; 57.5% females) from 12 study sites. Two subgroups (Lithium; Non-lithium) were defined according to the current prescription of lithium. We compared several outcomes between these groups, controlling for age, gender, and study site. RESULTS: OABD treated with lithium had lower scores on depression rating scales and were less likely to be categorised as with moderate or severe depression. There was a lower proportion of lithium users than non-users among those with evidence of rapid cycling and non-bipolar psychiatric diagnoses. Assessment of global cognitive state and functionality indicated better performance among lithium users. The current use of antipsychotics was less frequent among lithium users, who also reported fewer cardiovascular comorbidities than non-users. CONCLUSION: We found several potentially relevant differences in the clinical profile of OABD treated with lithium compared with those treated with other mood stabilisers. However, the interpretation of the present results must take into account the methodological limitations inherent to the cross-sectional approach and data harmonisation.

OBJECTIVES: Persistent functional impairment is common in bipolar disorder (BD) and is influenced by a number of demographic, clinical, and cognitive features. The goal of this project was to estimate and compare the influence of key factors on community function in multiple cohorts of well-characterized samples of individuals with BD. METHODS: Thirteen cohorts from 7 countries included n = 5882 individuals with BD across multiple sites. The statistical approach consisted of a systematic uniform application of analyses across sites. Each site performed a logistic regression analysis with empirically derived higher versus lower function as the dependent variable and selected clinical and demographic variables as predictors. RESULTS: We found high rates of functional impairment, ranging from 41 to 75%. Lower community functioning was associated with depressive symptoms in 10 of 12 of the cohorts that included this variable in the analysis. Lower levels of education, a greater number of prior mood episodes, the presence of a comorbid substance use disorder, and a greater total number of psychotropic medications were also associated with low functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The bipolar clinical research community is poised to work together to characterize the multi-dimensional contributors to impairment and address the barriers that impede patients complete recovery. We must also identify the core features which enable many to thrive and live successfully with BD. A large-scale, worldwide, prospective longitudinal study focused squarely on BD and its heterogeneous presentations will serve as a platform for discovery and promote major advances toward optimizing outcomes for every individual with this illness.

OBJECTIVE: Poor adherence to antihypertensive medication occurs in 50-80% of patients. An ongoing randomized controlled trial (RCT) is evaluating a personalized mobile-health intervention in poorly adherent hypertensive persons with bipolar disorder. To enhance efficacy, the ongoing trial elicited guidance from a Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) comprised of patients, family members, clinicians, and health system administrators. Our goal is to describe the formation, role, decision-making process, and key contributions of the SAB as a means of demonstrating meaningful community engagement in mental health research. METHODS: Using models and measures from the field of implementation science, eleven SAB members convened across three meetings followed by quantitative surveys that assessed SAB member satisfaction and engagement during the meeting. RESULTS: Significant suggestions from the SAB included 1) expanding inclusion/exclusion criteria, and 2) operationalizing remote implementation of the RCT. Primary study implementation challenges identified by the SAB were 1) participant difficulty engaging in the mHealth intervention, and 2) identification of procedures for monitoring participant adherence to the RCT protocol and contacting under-engaged participants. Quantitative surveys indicated that all SAB members believed that the objectives of the meetings were clear, perceived that they were able to participate in the discussions, and that they were heard. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing evidence demonstrates the feasibility of engaging with SABs in clinical research and that this process improves intervention design, increases participant engagement, reduces mental health-related stigma, and produces more effective implementation strategies. We encourage future investigators to use an implementation science framework in partnership with SABs to refine their proposed interventions and improve clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Some individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) experience manic and depressive symptoms concurrently, but data are limited on symptom mixity in older age bipolar disorder (OABD). Using the Global Aging & Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder Database, we characterized mixity in OABD and associations with everyday function. METHODS: The sample (n = 805), from 12 international studies, included cases with both mania and depression severity ratings at a single timepoint. Four mixity groups were created: asymptomatic (A), mixed (Mix), depressed only (Dep), and manic only (Man). Generalized linear mixed models used mixity group as the predictor variable; cohort was included as a random intercept. Everyday function was assessed with the Global Assessment of Functioning score. RESULTS: Group proportions were Mix (69.6%; n = 560), followed by Dep (18.4%; n = 148), then A (7.8%; n = 63), then Man (4.2%; n= 34); levels of depression and mania were similar in Mix compared to Dep and Man, respectively. Everyday function was lowest in Mix, highest in A, and intermediate in Man and Dep. Within Mix, severity of depression was the main driver of worse functioning. Groups differed in years of education, with A higher than all others, but did not differ by age, gender, employment status, BD subtype, or age of onset. CONCLUSIONS: Mixed features predominate in a cross-sectional, global OABD sample and are associated with worse everyday function. Among those with mixed symptoms, functional status relates strongly to current depression severity. Future studies should include cognitive and other biological variables as well as longitudinal designs to allow for evaluation of causal effects.

ObjectivesAntipsychotic drugs (APS) are widely used to treat patients with bipolar disorder (BD), but there is limited information in older-age bipolar disorder (OABD). This analysis of the Global Aging & Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder Database (GAGE-BD) investigated characteristics of OABD patients prescribed APS vs. those not prescribed APS.Experimental designThe observational analysis used baseline, cross-sectional data from 16 international studies for adults aged ≥ 50 years with BD comprising 1,007 individuals with mean age 63.2 years (SD = 9.0), 57.4% women, and mean age of onset 31.6 years (SD = 15.0). The dependent variable was current APS treatment status. The independent variables included demographic and clinical variables, and a random effect for study, that were included in generalized mixed models.Principal observations46.6% of individuals (n = 469) were using APS. The multivariate model results suggest that those treated with APS were younger (p = 0.01), less likely to be employed (p < 0.001), had more psychiatric hospitalizations (p = 0.009) and were less likely to be on lithium (p < 0.001). Of individuals on APS, only 6.6% of those (n = 27) were on first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) and experienced a greater burden of psychiatric hospitalizations (p = 0.012).ConclusionsAPS are widely prescribed in OABD, observed in nearly half of this sample with great variation across sites. Individuals with OABD on APS have more severe illness, more frequent hospitalizations and are more often unemployed vs. those not on APS. Future studies need to examine longitudinal outcomes in OABD prescribed APS to characterize underlying causal relationships.

ObjectiveLiterature on older-age bipolar disorder (OABD) is limited. This first-ever analysis of the Global Aging & Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder Database (GAGE-BD) investigated associations among age, BD symptoms, comorbidity, and functioning.MethodsThis analysis used harmonized, baseline, cross-sectional data from 19 international studies (N = 1377). Standardized measures included the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF).ResultsMean sample age was 60.8 years (standard deviation [SD] 12.2 years), 55% female, 72% BD I. Mood symptom severity was low: mean total YMRS score of 4.3 (SD 5.4) and moderate-to-severe depression in only 22%. Controlled for sample effects, both manic and depressive symptom severity appeared lower among older individuals (p's