Impact of depressive mixed state in an emergency psychiatry setting: a marker of bipolar disorder and a possible risk factor for emergency hospitalization.

Background: Depressive mixed state (DMX) has been reported to be one of the most useful clinical markers for bipolar II disorder (BP-II) in the outpatient setting. However, the significance of DMX in emergency psychiatry has not been well studied.

Methods: A chart review study of 139 patients who were hospitalized in an emergency psychiatric ward with an initial diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD).