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  • Title: Challenging DSM-IV criteria for hypomania: diagnosing based on number of no-priority symptoms.
    Author: Benazzi F.
    Journal: Eur Psychiatry; 2007 Mar; 22(2):99-103. PubMed ID: 17129709.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: DSM-IV definition of hypomania of bipolar-II disorder (BP-II), which includes elevated/irritable mood change as core feature (i.e., it must always be present), is not based on sound evidence. STUDY AIM: Following classic descriptions of hypomania, was to test if hypomania could be diagnosed on the basis of its number (9) of DSM-IV symptoms, setting no-priority symptom. METHODS: Consecutive 422 depression-remitted outpatients were re-interviewed by a mood specialist psychiatrist using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-Clinician Version [a semi-structured interview modified by Benazzi and Akiskal (J Affect Disord, 2003; J Clin Psychiatry, 2005) to improve the probing for BP-II] in a private practice. History of episodes of subthreshold (i.e., 2 or more symptoms) and threshold (i.e., meeting DSM-IV criteria of elevated mood plus at least 3 symptoms, or irritable mood plus at least 4) hypomania, lasting at least 2 days, and which were the most common symptoms during the episodes, were systematically assessed. RESULTS: Bipolar-II disorder (BP-II) patients (according to DSM-IV criteria, apart from hypomania duration) were 260, and major depressive disorder (MDD) patients were 162. Mood change was present in all BP-II by definition. The most common symptoms were overactivity, which was present in almost all BP-II, followed by elevated mood and racing thoughts. ROC analysis of the number of hypomanic symptoms predicting BP-II found that a cut point of 5 or more symptoms over 9 had the best combination of sensitivity (90%) and specificity (84%), and the highest figure of correctly classified (87%) BP-II. History of episodes of 5 or more hypomanic symptoms was met by almost all BP-II. LIMITATIONS: Single interviewer. CONCLUSIONS: Following classic descriptions of hypomania, not setting any priority among the three basic domains of hypomania (mood, thinking, behavior), results suggest that a cutoff number of 5 symptoms over 9 (of those listed by DSM-IV) could be used to diagnose hypomania of BP-II. Diagnosing hypomania by counting a checklist of symptoms should make it easier to diagnose BP-II, and should reduce the current high misdiagnosis of BP-II as MDD, significantly impacting the treatment of depression.
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