Gender Differences in Clinical and Biochemical Variables of Patients Affected by Bipolar Disorder
<b>Introduction:</b> Bipolar disorder (BD) affects over 1% of the global population and significantly impacts psychosocial functioning and life expectancy. This manuscript has the objective of investigating gender differences in the clinical and biochemical parameters of patients affecte...
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2025-02-01
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| author | Luigi Piccirilli Enrico Capuzzi Francesca Legnani Martina Di Paolo Anna Pan Alessandro Ceresa Cecilia Maria Esposito Luisa Cirella Teresa Surace Ilaria Tagliabue Massimo Clerici Massimiliano Buoli |
| author_facet | Luigi Piccirilli Enrico Capuzzi Francesca Legnani Martina Di Paolo Anna Pan Alessandro Ceresa Cecilia Maria Esposito Luisa Cirella Teresa Surace Ilaria Tagliabue Massimo Clerici Massimiliano Buoli |
| author_sort | Luigi Piccirilli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Introduction:</b> Bipolar disorder (BD) affects over 1% of the global population and significantly impacts psychosocial functioning and life expectancy. This manuscript has the objective of investigating gender differences in the clinical and biochemical parameters of patients affected by BD. <b>Methods:</b> This retrospective cross-sectional study examined 672 patients diagnosed with BD in psychiatric wards in Milan and Monza. Clinical data and biochemical parameters were collected on the first day of hospitalization. Independent sample <i>t</i>-tests, chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions were performed to identify gender differences in BD. <b>Results:</b> With regard to univariate analyses, women were found to be more susceptible to psychiatric comorbidities (χ<sup>2</sup> = 12.75, <i>p</i> < 0.01), medical comorbidities (χ<sup>2</sup> = 45.38, <i>p</i> < 0.01), obesity (χ<sup>2</sup> = 6.75, <i>p</i> = 0.01) and hypercholesterolemia (χ<sup>2</sup> = 23.54, <i>p</i> < 0.01), as well as to having more mood episodes in the year prior to hospitalization (t = 5.69, <i>p</i> < 0.01). Men were found to be more likely to develop psychotic symptoms (χ<sup>2</sup> = 4.40, <i>p</i> = 0.04), to be tobacco smokers (χ<sup>2</sup> = 15.13, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and to have substance abuse disorders (χ<sup>2</sup> = 14.66, <i>p</i> = <0.01). Logistic regression analyses showed that women compared to men showed more psychiatric comorbidity (<i>p</i> < 0.01), higher Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores (<i>p</i> = 0.05) and higher total cholesterol plasma levels (<i>p</i> < 0.01); however, they also had fewer red blood cells (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and lower creatinine plasma levels (<i>p</i> < 0.01). <b>Conclusions:</b> Female patients (compared to males) exhibited higher levels of global functioning despite the higher frequency of psychiatric comorbidity and susceptibility to metabolic complications; consistent with earlier studies, female patients also showed higher cholesterol levels. Further studies will have to confirm the present findings and identify gender-related clinical pathways for the management of BD. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-734825bfd1784342b95263f9251ffb6b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-734825bfd1784342b95263f9251ffb6b2025-08-20T02:44:46ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252025-02-0115221410.3390/brainsci15020214Gender Differences in Clinical and Biochemical Variables of Patients Affected by Bipolar DisorderLuigi Piccirilli0Enrico Capuzzi1Francesca Legnani2Martina Di Paolo3Anna Pan4Alessandro Ceresa5Cecilia Maria Esposito6Luisa Cirella7Teresa Surace8Ilaria Tagliabue9Massimo Clerici10Massimiliano Buoli11Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyHealthcare Professionals Department, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, ItalyDepartment of Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, via G.B. Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900 Monza, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy<b>Introduction:</b> Bipolar disorder (BD) affects over 1% of the global population and significantly impacts psychosocial functioning and life expectancy. This manuscript has the objective of investigating gender differences in the clinical and biochemical parameters of patients affected by BD. <b>Methods:</b> This retrospective cross-sectional study examined 672 patients diagnosed with BD in psychiatric wards in Milan and Monza. Clinical data and biochemical parameters were collected on the first day of hospitalization. Independent sample <i>t</i>-tests, chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions were performed to identify gender differences in BD. <b>Results:</b> With regard to univariate analyses, women were found to be more susceptible to psychiatric comorbidities (χ<sup>2</sup> = 12.75, <i>p</i> < 0.01), medical comorbidities (χ<sup>2</sup> = 45.38, <i>p</i> < 0.01), obesity (χ<sup>2</sup> = 6.75, <i>p</i> = 0.01) and hypercholesterolemia (χ<sup>2</sup> = 23.54, <i>p</i> < 0.01), as well as to having more mood episodes in the year prior to hospitalization (t = 5.69, <i>p</i> < 0.01). Men were found to be more likely to develop psychotic symptoms (χ<sup>2</sup> = 4.40, <i>p</i> = 0.04), to be tobacco smokers (χ<sup>2</sup> = 15.13, <i>p</i> < 0.01) and to have substance abuse disorders (χ<sup>2</sup> = 14.66, <i>p</i> = <0.01). Logistic regression analyses showed that women compared to men showed more psychiatric comorbidity (<i>p</i> < 0.01), higher Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores (<i>p</i> = 0.05) and higher total cholesterol plasma levels (<i>p</i> < 0.01); however, they also had fewer red blood cells (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and lower creatinine plasma levels (<i>p</i> < 0.01). <b>Conclusions:</b> Female patients (compared to males) exhibited higher levels of global functioning despite the higher frequency of psychiatric comorbidity and susceptibility to metabolic complications; consistent with earlier studies, female patients also showed higher cholesterol levels. Further studies will have to confirm the present findings and identify gender-related clinical pathways for the management of BD.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/2/214bipolar disorder (BD)gender differencesclinical variablesbiochemical parameters |
| spellingShingle | Luigi Piccirilli Enrico Capuzzi Francesca Legnani Martina Di Paolo Anna Pan Alessandro Ceresa Cecilia Maria Esposito Luisa Cirella Teresa Surace Ilaria Tagliabue Massimo Clerici Massimiliano Buoli Gender Differences in Clinical and Biochemical Variables of Patients Affected by Bipolar Disorder Brain Sciences bipolar disorder (BD) gender differences clinical variables biochemical parameters |
| title | Gender Differences in Clinical and Biochemical Variables of Patients Affected by Bipolar Disorder |
| title_full | Gender Differences in Clinical and Biochemical Variables of Patients Affected by Bipolar Disorder |
| title_fullStr | Gender Differences in Clinical and Biochemical Variables of Patients Affected by Bipolar Disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender Differences in Clinical and Biochemical Variables of Patients Affected by Bipolar Disorder |
| title_short | Gender Differences in Clinical and Biochemical Variables of Patients Affected by Bipolar Disorder |
| title_sort | gender differences in clinical and biochemical variables of patients affected by bipolar disorder |
| topic | bipolar disorder (BD) gender differences clinical variables biochemical parameters |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/2/214 |
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