Comorbid prevalence of alcohol use disorder in hospitalized patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder type I: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Background: Bipolar I disorder, a severe mental illness characterized by episodic manic and depressive phases, often includes psychotic symptoms and functional impairments. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) frequently co-occurs with bipolar I disorder, complicating treatment and increasing disability and healthcare costs. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of AUD in hospitalized patients diagnosed with bipolar I disorder, examine gender-related differences, and compare the occurrence of AUD during manic versus depressive episodes. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 consecutive admissions at a tertiary care hospital over 1 year. All participants met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, 5 th edition (DSM-5) criteria for bipolar I disorder and were evaluated for AUD using DSM-5 criteria. Symptom severity was measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) for depressive episodes and the Young Mania Rating Scale for manic episodes. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: AUD was identified in 37% of patients, with higher prevalence in males (40.5%) compared to females (23.8%). The prevalence of AUD was slightly higher during manic episodes (37.64%) than depressive episodes (33.33%). However, differences between gender and episode type were not statistically significant. Conclusion: AUD is prevalent among patients with bipolar I disorder, underscoring the need for integrated treatment strategies. While gender and episode polarity influence AUD prevalence, these differences were not significant, warranting further research to better understand the interaction between these conditions and improve clinical outcomes.