Bipolar I and II Disorders; A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Differences in Comorbid Obsessive-Compulsive...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Bipolar disorder (BD) frequently presents with comorbid conditions, notably obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), complicating patient management.
• While research on anxiety and BD comorbidity exists, the specific interplay between BD subtypes (BD-I and BD-II) and OCD requires further investigation.
• This study specifically aimed to delineate differences in OCD comorbidity between BD-I and BD-II.

Approach:

• A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to ascertain the prevalence and predictors of comorbid BD-I/BD-II and OCD.
• Extensive literature searches were conducted across major electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library) for relevant studies published up to June 30, 2015.
• Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria, providing data for the meta-analysis.

Key Points:

• The pooled prevalence of BD-I among individuals with OCD was 3.9%, whereas BD-II was found in 13.5% of OCD patients.
• Conversely, the prevalence of OCD among individuals with BD-I was 21.7%.
• Neither mean age nor the rate of males significantly predicted the prevalence of BD-I or BD-II in OCD patients, though mean age partially explained heterogeneity.

Conclusions:

• This systematic review and meta-analysis highlights that the comorbidity of BD and OCD is a significant and common issue within psychiatric practice.
• The findings indicate a higher prevalence of BD-II in patients with OCD compared to BD-I.
• However, current evidence is insufficient to definitively conclude whether BD-I or BD-II is more commonly diagnosed in individuals presenting with OCD.