TY - JOUR
T1 - Current Status and Treatment of Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder
AU - Miola, Alessandro
AU - Frye, Mark A.
AU - Tondo, Leonardo
AU - Baldessarini, Ross J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2024/3/1
Y1 - 2024/3/1
N2 - Background Rapid cycling (RC) at least 4 recurrent episodes per year in bipolar disorder (BD) has been recognized since the 1970s. We now comment on our recent review of the topic and extensive RC analysis in a large clinical cohort, emphasizing therapeutics research. Comments Prevalence of RC-BD averages 36% for any year versus 22% in the preceding year. Rapid cycling is not a consistent feature over many years, although average long-term, annual recurrence rates are greater in RC-BD patients. Risk of RC may be somewhat greater among women and with older ages. It is also associated with cyclothymic temperament, prominent depression, and mood-switching with antidepressant treatment and is associated with increased suicidal risk. Treatment of individual episodes in RC-BD and effective long-term prevention remain inadequately studied, although antidepressant treatment can worsen RC. Some research supports treatment with aripiprazole, lamotrigine, and lithium, and interest in second-generation antipsychotics is emerging. All such options are used in various inadequately evaluated combinations. Conclusions Rapid cycling is prevalent among BD patients but seems to vary in risk over time without evidence of progressive worsening. Treatment of acute episodes in RC-BD patients and effective long-term preventive management require much more intensive investigation.
AB - Background Rapid cycling (RC) at least 4 recurrent episodes per year in bipolar disorder (BD) has been recognized since the 1970s. We now comment on our recent review of the topic and extensive RC analysis in a large clinical cohort, emphasizing therapeutics research. Comments Prevalence of RC-BD averages 36% for any year versus 22% in the preceding year. Rapid cycling is not a consistent feature over many years, although average long-term, annual recurrence rates are greater in RC-BD patients. Risk of RC may be somewhat greater among women and with older ages. It is also associated with cyclothymic temperament, prominent depression, and mood-switching with antidepressant treatment and is associated with increased suicidal risk. Treatment of individual episodes in RC-BD and effective long-term prevention remain inadequately studied, although antidepressant treatment can worsen RC. Some research supports treatment with aripiprazole, lamotrigine, and lithium, and interest in second-generation antipsychotics is emerging. All such options are used in various inadequately evaluated combinations. Conclusions Rapid cycling is prevalent among BD patients but seems to vary in risk over time without evidence of progressive worsening. Treatment of acute episodes in RC-BD patients and effective long-term preventive management require much more intensive investigation.
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U2 - 10.1097/JCP.0000000000001807
DO - 10.1097/JCP.0000000000001807
M3 - Review article
C2 - 38230858
AN - SCOPUS:85186384785
SN - 0271-0749
VL - 44
SP - 86
EP - 88
JO - Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
JF - Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
IS - 2
ER -