Borderline personality disorder in clinical outpatient practice

Abstract

To investigate Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and associated psychiatric disorders in real clinical practice. Fifty patients (72% female; n=36; 28% male; n=14, aged 22.4±4.3 years) with ICD-10 diagnosis F60.31 «Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, Borderline Type» were examined. Research methods included a clinical follow-up method and psychometric assessment. The majority of patients were female (72%). Asocial environment and low social status were typical for the patients with BPD. The vast majority of patients (86%; n=43) were not diagnosed with BPD when they first consulted a psychiatrist. In 24% of patients comorbid psychiatric disorders were diagnosed, of which affective spectrum disorders were predominant. Depressive (94%) and anxiety (80%) syndromes were leading in the clinical presentation. BPD patients were characterized by the absence of somatic components of depression, vitality of affect. Women are predominant among patients with BPD in outpatient practice. Impairment of interpersonal interaction and antisocial environment were typical for them. Comorbidity of BPD and affective disorders, mostly anxious-depressive, was confirmed. Low diagnosability of BPD at the initial psychiatric examination was established.