Outcome measures of interepisode bipolar patients in a Turkish sample.
BACKGROUND
We aimed to study the correlations of several outcome measures in bipolar patients with the clinical features of interepisode period.


METHODS
Bipolar patients who were diagnosed according to DSM-III-R or IV were contacted and asked for a further evaluation. Interepisode bipolar patients (n = 100) were interviewed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS). In addition the Brief Disability Questionnaire (BDQ), the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) and the Global Assessment Scale (GAS) were administered to assess outcome. They were also asked to check the List of Life Events (LLE) for the last six months.


RESULTS
Our results can be summarised as follows: (1) quality of life was predicted by current subthreshold depressive symptoms; (2) the number of previous depressive episodes, current subthreshold depressive and manic symptoms predicted disability; (3) the number of previous depressive episodes and the duration of hospitalisation as well as current subthreshold depressive and manic symptoms predicted overall functioning; (4) the number and distress level of life events were correlated with suicidal symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that outcome measures were correlated with subsyndromal disorder, the number of previous depressive episodes and the duration of hospitalisation.
Ozer
Suzan
S
Hacettepe Univ Tip Fakültesi Psikiyatri Bölümü, Ankara, Turkey.
Uluşahin
Aylin
A
Batur
Senar
S
Kabakçi
Elif
E
Saka
Meram Can
MC
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey