Undiagnosed Bipolar Disorders in Patients with Major Depressive Episode: Iran's part of a Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE Bipolar spectrum disorders may often go undiagnosed or unrecognized. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of bipolar disorder symptoms in Iranian patients with a major depressive episode. METHODS 313 patients with a current DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th ed. Text rev.) diagnosed with a major depressive episode entered this cross-sectional study. Thirty two items revised Hypomania/ mania Symptoms Checklist (HCL-32) was used to determine the frequency of bipolar episodes. RESULTS Considerable proportion of patients (53.9%) previously diagnosed as major depressive disorder fulfilled the criteria for bipolar disorder by Bipolarity Specifier. The Bipolarity Specifier additionally identified significant association for manic / hypomanic states during antidepressants therapy (p<0.0003) and current mixed mood symptoms (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION Bipolar symptoms meeting the criteria for bipolar disorders in depressed patients who have not been previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder are frequent. Current DSM criteria may not be sufficient to diagnose more subtle or atypical forms of bipolar disorders.