The relationship between impulsivity and lipid levels in bipolar patients: does temperament explain it?

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate whether there was a relationship between impulsivity and lipid levels in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and to examine the correlation of impulsivity and lipid levels with temperament subtypes.MethodsFor this purpose, one hundred patients who were admitted to our out-patient unit for routine controls, had been in remission for at least 8 weeks, and diagnosed as BD according to the DSM-IV were evaluated consecutively. Impulsivity and temperament were evaluated with the BIS-11 and the TEMPS-A. Blood samples were obtained to measure levels of lipids (cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein-HDL, low density lipoprotein-LDL).ResultsA weak correlation was found between impulsivity scores and triglyceride levels (r = 0.190, p = 0.050). Correlation was found between impulsivity scores and depressive, anxious, cyclothymic, and irritable temperaments (r = 0.371, p < 0.001; r = 0.458, p < 0.001; r = 0.541, p < 0.001; r = 0.530, p < 0.001), while triglyceride levels were only related with depressive and anxious temperaments (r = 0.485, p = 0.001 and r = 0.391, p = 0.006).ConclusionsTemperament is an important mediator of the relationship between lipid levels and trait impulsivity in patients with BD.