Abstract

MEDINA, Eloy; MOLINA, Helfer  and  SANCHEZ, Sixto E.. Effect of alcohol consumption in the evolution of bipolar patients. Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica [online]. 2008, vol.25, n.3, pp.279-284. ISSN 1726-4634.

Objective. To evaluate the effect of alcohol consumption in the evolution of bipolar patients. Material and methods. 170 record files of outpatients with bipolar disorder, seen at Victor Larco Herrera Hospital during 2001-2005 were included. Data were registered in a data collection form and then in a database in SPSS 15. OR and CI 95% were calculated in order to assess the association between alcohol consumption and the good or bad evolution of the bipolar patient. Logistic regression was used to control potential confounders. Results. Mean age of participants was 45 years, 29.4% were male and 31.8% were alcohol consumers. 8.5% of participants had bipolar I disease and 14.1% had bipolar II disease. Median number of recurrences and suicide intents in alcohol consumers was 4 and one respectively, in comparison with 1 and 0 in those not consumers. From 40 patients with bad evolution, 77.5% were alcohol consumers (with or without cocaine), in comparison with only 17.7% of the 130 patients who had good evolution (OR: 9.5; CI 95%: 2.6 - 34.9). Patients who consumed both, alcohol and cocaine had higher risk of having a bad evolution (OR: 26.8; CI 95%: 6.9 - 104.2). Conclusions. Comparing with not consumers, alcohol abuse affected evolution and prognosis of bipolar patients. This is why bipolar patients who are alcohol consumers should be followed up more accurately in order to avoid recurrences and other bad outcomes.

Keywords : Bipolar disorder; Alcohol consumption; Cocaine; Cohort studies.

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