Hospital records of 101 DSM-III-R bipolar manic patients were reviewed retrospectively to study the clinical and demographic characteristics of manic patients with delusions or hallucinations. Fifty eight(57.4%) manic patients had delusions or
hallucinations during index episode. There were more males in manic patients with delusions or hallucinations (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in marital status, education, age at first episode, age index admission, duration of
index
admission, illness duration prior to index admission, precipitating factors prior to index episode, type of first episode, previous history of affective disorders, and family history of functional psychoses between two groups. Manic symptoms, i.
e.
elated mood, irritable mood, verbal activity, and motor activity, were rated on admission by retrospective chart review. The total severity of manic symptoms. clated mood, and irritable mood were significantly severe in manic patients with
delusions of
hallucinations(p<0.05, respectively). The GAF scores on admission were significantly lower in manic patients with delusions or hallucinations(p<0.001). These results support the hypothesis that mania with psychotic features is not a distinct
diagnostic
entity, but rather a more severe form of mania.
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