Is suicide risk a predictor of diagnosis conversion to bipolar disorder?

To assess predictors of the diagnosis of bipolar disorder is important since it is known that the early diagnosis is associated with a better response to the treatment. Thus, the aim of this systematic review is to assess the role of the suicide risk in the diagnosis conversion to bipolar disorder. We searched Pubmed, Bireme, Scopus, and PsycINFO with no year restriction for articles containing the words (suicidal or suicide or suicide risk or suicide attempt) and (conversion or switch) and (bipolar disorder or mania or hypomania or bipolar disorders). The review included four studies, with only one confirming that subjects who converted to bipolar disorder had higher rates of suicide risk than subjects who did not convert to bipolar disorder. The main limitation of this review is that few longitudinal studies assessed the predictors of conversion to bipolar disorders. In conclusion, suicide risk appears to be a predictor of bipolar disorder; nevertheless, more studies are needed to confirm this association.