Sherwood SN, Carlson GA, Freeman AJ, et al. - By analyzing a nationally representative dataset of inpatient hospitalizations between 1996 and 2010, researchers herein described the pattern of longitudinal trends in the rate of national inpatient bipolar disorder (BD) diagnosis subsequent to 2004.

• Between the mid-2000s and 2010, there occurred a substantial reduction in the rates of BD diagnosis for youth.

• There was coincidence of this decline with recommendations for more conservative diagnostic practices due to concerns regarding overdiagnosis and rising awareness of the side effects of front-line medications utilized to manage BD in youth.

• Findings overall yield information concerning changing trends in inpatient service utilization for BD in the US.