Table 3. Findings and methodological characteristics of studies that evaluated the concept of DUB.

	This study	McCraw12	Drancourt10	Altamura8
Country	Brazil	Australia	France	Italy
Sample size	n=152	n=173	n=501	n=320
Age, years	39.8±10.8	38.1±11.4	42.3±13.9	46.0±12.8
Male	33.6	38.2	41.7	43.8
Female	66.4	61.8	58.3	56.2
BD subtype I	88.2	14.5	83.4	40.0
BD subtype II	11.8	85.5	16.6	60.0
DUB, years	10.4±9.8	18.0±11.7	9.6±9.7	8.7±7.7
Main clinical outcomes associated with longer DUB	More rapid cycling Less current remission More anxiety disorder	More employment difficulties More social costs due to mood episodes	More suicidal behaviour Early onset of BD More mood episodes	More suicidal behavior
Recruitment	Bipolar outpatient clinic	Depression clinic	General psychiatric outpatient clinic	Mood disorders outpatient clinic

Data expressed as mean ± standard deviation or percentages, unless otherwise stated.

BD = bipolar disorder; DUB = duration of untreated bipolar disorder.