PATTERNS OF RECURRENCE IN MOOD DISORDERS ACLINICAL STUDY IN UPPER EGYPT

Abstract

In this study fifty patients suffering from mood disorder were selected from the outpatient and inpatient psychiatric facilities in Assiut University Hospital according to the following inclusion criteria : primary mood disorder, current affective episode (hypomanic, manic, depressive or mixed), at least one previous affec• tive episode, both males and females are included and different age groups. It was observed that 24 (48%) of the studied sample were males and 26 (52%) were females. The mean age at onset of the 1st episode was 21 years in bipolar affective disorder and 27 years in recurrent depression. 24 (48%) patients of the studied sample were diag• nosed as having bipolar affective disorder, 20 (83%) of them had current episode mania, 13 (65%) of them had rapid onset of the disease. 26 (52%) patients of the total sample had recurrent depression, 16 (62%) of them had gradual onset. In this study we found that the mean duration of the affective episode is about one month, and the duration of remission is diminished while the subsequent episodes progress.