A pilot study of standardized treatment in geriatric bipolar disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The authors sought to determine the feasibility of treating elderly adults with bipolar disorder under standardized-treatment conditions.


METHODS
Thirty-one patients age 60 and older with bipolar disorder were treated in standardized pathways. Mood state was checked at each study visit with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17 item (Ham-D-17) and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS).


RESULTS
Defining "well days" as both Ham-D and YMRS scores of <or=10, the mean percentage of well days was 72.5 (range: 0%-100%) over study participation.


CONCLUSIONS
Treating older adults with bipolar disorder under standardized treatment is feasible and is associated with low symptom levels. However, most older adults with bipolar disorder do not experience sustained recovery.
Gildengers
Ariel G
AG
Intervention Research Center for Late-Life Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, the Bipolar Disorder Center for Pennsylvanians, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 15213, USA.
Mulsant
Benoit H
BH
Begley
Amy E
AE
McShea
Mary
M
Stack
Jacqueline A
JA
Miller
Mark D
MD
Fagiolini
Andrea
A
Kupfer
David J
DJ
Young
Robert C
RC
Reynolds
Charles F
CF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires