The relationship of chronic medical illnesses, poor health-related lifestyle choices, and health care utilization to recovery status in borderline patients over a decade of prospective follow-up.

BACKGROUND

The interaction of borderline personality disorder (BPD) with physical health has not been well characterized. In this longitudinal study, we investigated the long-term relationship of chronic medical illnesses, health-related lifestyle choices, and health services utilization to recovery status in borderline patients over a decade of prospective follow-up.

METHOD

264 borderline patients were interviewed concerning their physical health at 6-year follow-up in a longitudinal study of the course of BPD. This sample was then reinterviewed five times at two-year intervals over the next ten years. We defined recovery from BPD based on a Global Assessment of Functioning score of 61 or higher, which required BPD remission, one close relationship, and full-time competent and consistent work or school attendance. We controlled for potentially confounding effects of time-varying major depressive disorder.

RESULTS

Never-recovered borderline patients were significantly more likely than ever-recovered borderline patients to have a medical syndrome, obesity, osteoarthritis, diabetes, urinary incontinence, or multiple medical conditions (p<0.0063). They were also significantly more likely to report pack-per-day smoking, weekly alcohol use, no regular exercise, daily sleep medication use, or pain medication overuse (p<0.0083). In addition, never-recovered borderline patients were significantly more likely than ever-recovered borderline patients to undergo a medical emergency room visit, medical hospitalization, X-ray, CT scan, or MRI scan (p<0.0063).

CONCLUSIONS

Over a decade of prospective follow-up, failure to recover from BPD seems to be associated with a heightened risk of chronic medical illnesses, poor health-related lifestyle choices, and costly health services utilization.