Cited by 524Bipolar Disorder and TreatmentPersonality Disorders and PsychopathologyChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Four-Year Longitudinal Course of Children and Adolescents With Bipolar Spectrum Disorders: The Course and Outcome of Bipolar Youth (COBY) Study

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Birmaher, Boris, Axelson, David, Goldstein, Benjamin, Strober, Michael, Gill,, Mary Kay, Hunt, Jeffrey, Houck, Patricia, Ha, Wonho +8 more·2009·American Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to assess the longitudinal course of youths with bipolar spectrum disorders over a 4-year period. METHOD: At total of 413 youths (ages 7-17 years) with bipolar I disorder (N=244), bipolar II disorder (N=28), and bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (N=141) were enrolled in the study. Symptoms were ascertained retrospectively on average every 9.4 months for 4 years using the Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Evaluation. Rates and time to recovery and recurrence and week-by-week symptomatic status were analyzed. RESULTS: Approximately 2.5 years after onset of their index episode, 81.5% of the participants had fully recovered, but 1.5 years later 62.5% had a syndromal recurrence, particularly depression. One-third of the participants had one syndromal recurrence, and 30% had two or more. The polarity of the index episode predicted that of subsequent episodes. Participants were symptomatic during 60% of the follow-up period, particularly with subsyndromal symptoms of depression and mixed polarity, with numerous changes in mood polarity. Manic symptomatology, especially syndromal, was less frequent, and bipolar II was mainly manifested by depressive symptoms. Overall, 40% of the participants had syndromal or subsyndromal symptoms during 75% of the follow-up period, and 16% of the participants experienced psychotic symptoms during 17% the follow-up period. Twenty-five percent of youths with bipolar II converted to bipolar I, and 38% of those with bipolar disorder not otherwise specified converted to bipolar I or II. Early onset, diagnosis of bipolar disorder not otherwise specified, long illness duration, low socioeconomic status, and family history of mood disorders were associated with poorer outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Bipolar spectrum disorders in youths are characterized by episodic illness with subsyndromal and, less frequently, syndromal episodes with mainly depressive and mixed symptoms and rapid mood changes.

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Crossref · 10.1176/appi.ajp.2009.08101569

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  1. [14]Hollingshead AB Mangen DJ Peterson WA Index of Social Status 1982 Research instruments in social gerontology: Vol. 2. Social roles and social participation Minneapolis, MN University of Minnesota Press
  2. [19]Goodwin FK Jamison K Manic-Depressive Illness: bipolar disorders and recurrent depression 2 New York, N.Y Oxford University Press 2007

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Authors
Birmaher, B., Axelson, D., Goldstein, B., Strober, M., Gill, Hunt, J., Houck, P., Ha, W., Iyengar, S., Kim, E., Yen, S., Hower, H., Esposito-Smythers, C., Goldstein, T., Ryan, N., & Keller, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (US)
  • Brown University (US)
Venue
American Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2009-07
Volume
166
Issue
7
Pages
795-804
ISSN
  • 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
  • 1535-7228
OpenAlex
W2158083741
Cited by
524
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 51 · 2013: 37 · 2012: 37
FWCI
21.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH059929, MH59691, R01MH059977, R01MH112543, R01MH059691, MH59977, MH-59929)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
bipolar spectrum disorders, bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, bipolar disorder not otherwise specified, youth, longitudinal course, recurrence, depression, subsyndromal symptoms, psychotic symptoms, early onset, socioeconomic status, family history of mood disorders, disease duration
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Bipolar Disorder, Child, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Retrospective Studies, Severity of Illness Index, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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