Adverse childhood experiences and cardiometabolic risk factors in people with bipolar disorder
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Bipolar disorder is associated with increased mortality from cardiovascular disease, incidence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), and obesity. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may contribute to this increased incidence, but findings have been mixed. We aimed to determine associations between ACEs and cardiometabolic risk markers in people with bipolar disorder, and how they change during pharmacological treatment. Data was analysed from 482 participants with bipolar disorder treated for 24 weeks with lithium or quetiapine, comparing those with and without ACEs across cardiometabolic markers. At baseline, those with ACEs had higher body mass indexes but were similar on all other cardiometabolic measures. During the 24-week treatment period, those with ACEs improved slightly more on continuous metabolic syndrome score (cMetS; p = .004), waist circumference, (p = .041) high density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol, (p = .028) and diastolic blood pressure (p = .042) than those without ACEs. Sensitivity analysis exploring the role of ACE type revealed that change in HDL was most strongly associated with sexual abuse; higher diastolic blood pressure with emotional abuse; and increased waist circumference with emotional and physical abuse, and higher cMetS with all three ACE types. There were almost no baseline differences in cardiometabolic markers between the ACE and no ACE groups. Those with ACEs seemingly benefitted more from psychiatric treatment regarding their cardiovascular health compared to the no ACE group. Future research should explore links between ACEs and cardiovascular health in those with bipolar disorder, including benefits of psychiatric treatment, the role of specific ACE types, and longer-term outcomes.
Source: Journal of Affective Disorders
Authors: Alyna Turner, Maya Kuperberg, Hugh McGovern, Anna Wrobel, Olivia M. Dean, Michael Berk, Louisa Sylvia, Susan L. McElroy, Mauricio Tohen, Richard C. Shelton, Dan V. Iosifescu, Michael E. Thase, James H. Kocsis, Michael J. Ostacher, Thilo Deckersbach, Melvin G. McInnis, Ole Köhler-Forsberg, Andrew A. Nierenberg
Institutions: Deakin University, Tel Aviv University, The University of Melbourne, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Orygen, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Lindner Center of HOPE, University of Cincinnati, University of New Mexico, University of Alabama at Birmingham, New York University, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, University of Pennsylvania, Weill Cornell Medicine, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Diploma Hochschule, University of Michigan, Aarhus University, Aarhus University Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,790
OpenAlex ID: W4414088712