Vol 2 - Iss 2 - Article - Using quality of life as an outcome measure in patients with bipolar disorder #91

Using quality of life as an outcome measure in patients with bipolar disorder Erin E. Michalak, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Greg Murray, Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Australia Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to: Professor Erin E. Michalak, Division of Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 2A1 Tel: +1-604-827 3393 Fax: +1-604-822-7792 e-mail: emichala@interchange.ubc.ca Abstract Introduction: A host of studies have now indicated that bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with significant burden, both at a patient level, and at a societal level. In order to help reduce this burden, it is necessary to identify effective and meaningful ways of measuring the impact of treatment interventions upon the condition. Outcome in BD has traditionally been determined by the assessment of objectively measured clinical information. Increasingly, however, subjective measures are being been added to the more traditional outcome battery in clinical trials: prominent among these are self-report tools designed to assess quality of life (QoL). Methods: We performed an electronic literature search in the MEDLINE, Pubmed and Cochrane databases up to June 2006. Key words used were: bipolar disorder or manic-depression AND quality of life or health-related quality of life. Results: We identified 10 clinical trials that had used a QoL scale to assess outcome in patients with BD, 8 studies of pharmacological treatment interventions and 2 of psychosocial interventions. The studies had used a range of scales, most commonly the SF-36. Conclusions: QoL measures appear to provide additional important information over that provided by symptomatic measures. Although based on a small number of studies, there is some evidence that QoL in BD improves relatively slowly after treatment. Emerging research into adjunctive psychosocial treatments suggests that even relatively brief interventions may have effects on QoL. However, the existing literature on QoL in BD is relatively immature. In particular, there is no current consensus about which QoL instruments are most appropriate for use in this patient population, and as yet there is no disorder-specific measure to assess QoL in patients with BD. Keywords: bipolar disorder, quality of life, outcome measure Details   Price: €10.00 Options   Quantity 1 (this product is downloadable)  Add to cart

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