[Influence of the first episode duration on further course of bipolar disorder]

Bipolar disorder has been continuously studied due to its high prevalence and incidence. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of duration of the first episode of bipolar disorder on the further course of this disorder.

The research was conducted as a retrospective-prospective, naturalistic study, which included 65 bipolar patients admitted to the hospital. We used Student's t-test in addition to descriptive parameters, mean, median and standard deviation. We followed the 5-year course of the disorder after the first episode.

Having examined the medical records of the first episode and five-year follow-up of the course of the disease we found a statistically significant difference (2 vs 1.54; df=120; p<0.05) in the number of episodes following the first episode between the patients whose first episode was longer than 2 months and the patients whose first episode was shorter than 2 months. In addition, we found a statistically significant difference (55.42 vs 42.3; df=120; p<0.05) in duration of episodes that followed the first episode between the patients whose first episode was longer than 2 months and the patients whose first episode was shorter than 2 months.

Since these results are in accordance with the literature, we ought to point out the possibility of developing chronic syndromes in patients with longer first episodes.

This study is a modest contribution to the trend of studying bipolar disorder. Better knowledge of the course would enable better treatment, prognosis and outcome of this disorder.