Marta Zubia Martin1*, Susana Alberich Mesa1,3, Maria Purificación López Peña1,2, Iñaki Zorrilla Martínez1,2, Juan Pablo Chart Pascual1 and Ana Maria González Pinto1,2
Introduction: Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are widely used in patients with bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to determine chronic use of Benzodiazepines (BZDs) in patients with a first bipolar episode and the association between its use and cognition.
Methods: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in a cohort of 63 patients under 40 years old with a first manic or mixed episode. The percentage of patients taking Benzodiazepines (BZDs) in the baseline sample was evaluated at 6 months and for the next 3 years. Cognitive functioning was compared between patients with chronic Benzodiazepine (BDZ) use and those who did not use them. A linear regression model adjusted for potential confounding variables such as age and education level were used.
Results: Just over half the sample (55.6%; n=35) took Benzodiazepine (BZD) at the start of the study. At 6 months, this percentage decreased to 34.9% (n=22) and to 14.3% (n=9) at 3 years of follow-up. Patients who took Benzodiazepine (BZD) chronically had worse outcomes in overall attention. These differences remained significant when controlled for the variables age and education level (B= -0.462, p=0.046, 95% CI: -0.914, -0.009).
Conclusion: Chronic administration of Benzodiazepine (BZD) occurs in a small percentage of bipolar patients at disease onset and is associated with decreased attention. These side effects should be followed up.
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