Association between the pharmacological treatment of bipolar disorder and risk of traumatic injuries: a self-controlled case series study

• Published in: Psychological medicine 2023-08, Vol.53 (11), p.5185-5193
• Main Authors: Ng, Vanessa W. S., Gao, Le, Chan, Esther W., Lee, Ho Ming Edwin, Hayes, Joseph F., Osborn, David P. J., Rainer, Timothy H., Man, Kenneth K. C., Wong, Ian C. K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antipsychotics; Bipolar disorder; Drug therapy; Emergency medical care; Health care; Hospitals; Lithium; Medical records; Mental disorders; Mental health; Original Article; Patients; Physical trauma; Prescriptions; Psychotropic drugs; Relapse; Risk behavior; Risk reduction; Risk taking; Self destructive behavior; Self injury; Symptoms; Treatment methods
• ISSN: 0033-2917; 1469-8978
• DOI: 10.1017/S0033291722002215

BackgroundPatients with bipolar disorder (BPD) are prone to engage in risk-taking behaviours and self-harm, contributing to higher risk of traumatic injuries requiring medical attention at the emergency room (ER).We hypothesize that pharmacological treatment of BPD could reduce the risk of traumatic injuries by alleviating symptoms but evidence remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between pharmacological treatment and the risk of ER admissions due to traumatic injuries.MethodsIndividuals with BPD who received mood stabilizers and/or antipsychotics were identified using a population-based electronic healthcare records database in Hong Kong (2001–2019). A self-controlled case series design was applied to control for time-invariant confounders.ResultsA total of 5040 out of 14 021 adults with BPD who received pharmacological treatment and had incident ER admissions due to traumatic injuries from 2001 to 2019 were included. An increased risk of traumatic injuries was found 30 days before treatment [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 4.44 (3.71–5.31), p < 0.0001]. After treatment initiation, the risk remained increased with a smaller magnitude, before returning to baseline [IRR 0.97 (0.88–1.06), p = 0.50] during maintenance treatment. The direct comparison of the risk during treatment to that before and after treatment showed a significant decrease. After treatment cessation, the risk was increased [IRR 1.34 (1.09–1.66), p = 0.006].ConclusionsThis study supports the hypothesis that pharmacological treatment of BPD was associated with a lower risk of ER admissions due to traumatic injuries but an increased risk after treatment cessation. Close monitoring of symptoms relapse is recommended to clinicians and patients if treatment cessation is warranted.