The Co-Morbidity between Bipolar and Panic Disorder in Fibromyalgia Syndrome

The Co-Morbidity between Bipolar and Panic Disorder in Fibromyalgia Syndrome About half of the patients with fibromyalgia (FM) had a lifetime major depression episode<br> and one third had a panic disorder (PD). Because the co-morbidity between bipolar disorder (BD)<br> and PD marks a specific subtype of BD we aimed to investigate if co-morbid BD/PD (comBD/PD)<br> occurs more frequently than the single disorder in FM patients and evaluate the clinical significance<br> and timing of this co-morbidity. Further, we explored the role of co-morbid subthreshold BD and PD.<br> In 118 patients with FM, lifetime threshold and sub-threshold mood disorders and PD were diagnosed<br> with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV-Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) Clinical<br> Interview. Demographic and clinical variables were compared in co-morbid BD/PD (comBD/PD)<br> and not co-morbid BD/PD (nocomBD/PD) subgroups. The co-morbidity BD/PD was seen in 46.6%<br> of FM patients and in 68.6% when patients with minor bipolar (MinBD) and sub-threshold panic<br> were included. These rates are higher than those of the general population and BD outpatients.<br> There were no statistically significant dierences between threshold and sub-threshold comBD/PD<br> and nocom-BD/PD subgroups in demographic and clinical parameters. In the majority of patients<br> (78.2%), the onset of comBD/PD preceded or was contemporary with FM. These findings support the<br> hypothesis that comBD/PD is related to the development of FM in a subgroup of patients.