Randomised controlled trial of efficacy of teaching patients with bipolar disorder to identify early symptoms of relapse and obtain treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of teaching patients with bipolar disorder (manic-depressive psychosis) to identify early symptoms of relapse and seek prompt treatment from health services.


METHODS
Single blind randomised controlled trial with matching on four baseline variables using a minimisation algorithm.


METHODS
Mental health services in four NHS trusts (one teaching, three non-teaching).


METHODS
69 patients with bipolar disorder who had had a relapse in the previous 12 months.


METHODS
Seven to 12 individual treatment sessions from a research psychologist plus routine care or routine care alone.


METHODS
Time to first manic or depressive relapse, number of manic or depressive relapses, and social functioning examined by standardised interviews every six months for 18 months.


RESULTS
25th centile time to first manic relapse in experimental group was 65 weeks compared with 17 weeks in the control group. Event curves of time to first manic relapse significantly differed between experimental and control groups (log rank 7.04, df=1, P=0.008), with significant reductions in the number of manic relapses over 18 months (median difference 30% (95% confidence interval 8% to 52%), P=0.013). The experimental treatment had no effect on time to first relapse or number of relapses with depression, but it significantly improved overall social functioning (mean difference 2.0 (0.7 to 3.2), P=0.003) and employment (mean difference 0.7 (0.1 to 1.3), P=0.030) by 18 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Teaching patients to recognise early symptoms of manic relapse and seek early treatment is associated with important clinical improvements in time to first manic relapse, social functioning, and employment.
Perry
A
A
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Manchester, Withington Hospital, Manchester M20 8LR.
Tarrier
N
N
Morriss
R
R
McCarthy
E
E
Limb
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors