Difficulties in the diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder

Bipolar affective disorder is characterised by a high recurrence, early onset, family history and predilection for progression. Frequently, it remains undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as another disorder, with as many as one third of all patients remaining misdiagnosed for 10 years or longer. It is most commonly misconstrued as recurrent unipolar depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia or personality disorders. A delayed recognition of bipolar symptoms is associated with significant clinical consequences, including delayed introduction of appropriate pharmacotherapy, a higher recurrence, greater suicidal attempt and hospital stay rate, developing resistance to medication and a risk for a rapid shift of moods. The diagnostic difficulties result from the fact that the clinical picture of the bipolar spectrum is very diverse, with the disease often manifesting with atypical or subclinical symptoms. Also, adequate knowledge of the diagnostic criteria tends to be missing, and patients and their families tend to lack a critical approach, rarely reporting maniac/hypomaniac symptoms. To increase the accuracy of the diagnostic process, the use of screening questionnaires is recommended in the case of patients e.g. diagnosed with depression as well as vigilance for depressive symptoms more commonly experienced in the conditions from the bipolar spectrum. Currently, the diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder is based on history and careful evaluation of the clinical picture, yet research aimed at finding clinically relevant biomarkers, correlating with the condition's alternate episodes or its severity, is under way.