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Gender differences in first episode psychotic mania

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journal contribution
posted on 2013-01-01, 00:00 authored by S Cotton, M Lambert, Michael BerkMichael Berk, B Schimmelmann, F Butselaar, P McGorry, P Conus
Background : The aim of this paper was to delineate the impact of gender on premorbid history, onset, and 18 month outcomes of first episode psychotic mania (FEPM) patients.
Methods : Medical file audit assessment of 118 (male = 71; female = 47) patients with FEPM aged 15 to 29 years was undertaken on clinical and functional measures.
Results : Males with FEPM had increased likelihood of substance use (OR = 13.41, p < .001) and forensic issues (OR = 4.71, p = .008), whereas females were more likely to have history of sexual abuse trauma (OR = 7.12, p = .001). At service entry, males were more likely to be using substances, especially cannabis (OR = 2.15, p = .047), had more severe illness (OR = 1.72, p = .037), and poorer functioning (OR = 0.96, p = .045). During treatment males were more likely to decrease substance use (OR = 5.34, p = .008) and were more likely to be living with family (OR = 4.30, p = .009). There were no gender differences in age of onset, psychopathology or functioning at discharge.
Conclusions : Clinically meaningful gender differences in FEPM were driven by risk factors possibly associated with poor outcome. For males, substance use might be associated with poorer clinical presentation and functioning. In females with FEPM, the impact of sexual trauma on illness course warrants further consideration.

History

Journal

BMC psychiatry

Volume

13

Season

Article 82

Pagination

1 - 8

Publisher

BioMed Central

Location

London, England

ISSN

1471-244X

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2013, BioMed Central