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ABSTRACT:
Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic mood disorder. Its prevalence varies between 0.3 and 5% among the general population. Its most severe consequence is suicide.Data on the BD are quite limited in Africa and Cameroon. Objectives. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical and socio-epidemiological characteristics of bipolar disorders at the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, Cameroon. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional hospital-based analytical study of patients followed up at the Psychiatry Department of the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala, Cameroon, from 1st January to 15th April 2020. Among these patients were included those whose diagnosis of BD was made by the psychiatrist according to the DSM-V diagnostic criteria. For each patient, socio-demographic and clinical data were collected with a pre-established questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using the 20.0 version of the SPSS software. The chi-square test was used to identify factors associated with suicide in BD patients and a p-value of ˂ 0.05 was considered significant. Results. During this period, 1360 patients were consulted in the Department, 91 of whom had BD, making a prevalence of 6.7% (91/1360) and 60.4% (55/91) being women.
Mania was the main mode of manifestation in 85.7% (78/91) of patients. Psychological causes of the disease were attributed to 78.1% (71/91) of patients and 49.5% (45/91) had type I BD. Failure in secondary school had triggered the disease in 76.5% (26/34). 50.5% (44/91) had suicidal thoughts and 24.2% (22/91) of them had attempted suicide. No clinical or socio-demographic factors were associated with suicide attempts.
Conclusion: BD is one of the most common pathologies observed in the Psychiatry Department, mainly affecting women, with mania being the main mode of manifestation. Suicidal tendencies were common among the latter.
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