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Atypical depression with hypomanic symptoms
1Department of Psychiatry, National Health Service (A.USL), P. Solieri 4, 47100 Forlì, Italy. f.benazzi@fo.nettuno.it
Background:
Depressive mixed states (major depressive episodes with some hypomanic symptoms) (DMS) are not classified in DSM-IV and are understudied. The aims of this study were to find the prevalence and clinical features of DMS in atypical depression.
Methods:
A total of 87 bipolar II and unipolar depressed outpatients were interviewed within the DSM-IV Structured Clinical Interview.
Results:
More than two hypomanic symptoms were present in 50.0% of the atypical and 20.3% of the non-atypical depression cases (P=0.006). DMS mainly included irritable mood, distractibility, racing thoughts, and increased talking.
Limitations:
There was a single interviewer, and it was a non-blind, cross-sectional assessment, with bipolar II reliability.
Conclusions:
Findings have treatment implications, as antidepressants may worsen DMS, and mood stabilizers may improve it.