Health-related quality of life in adolescents with bipolar I disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To examine abnormalities in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and to determine whether pharmacological intervention with divalproex or quetiapine alters HRQOL abnormalities in bipolar adolescents.


METHODS
Parents of 23 adolescents diagnosed with a manic or mixed episode associated with bipolar I disorder were asked to rate their child's health using the Child Health Questionnaire-Parental Form 50 (CHQ-PF 50) at baseline, prior to receiving medication and then at 28 days later.


RESULTS
Manic adolescents exhibited significantly worse HRQOL than national norms at baseline on all subscales of the CHQ-P50 except for those assessing physical well-being. Twenty eight days later, similar results were obtained for the divalproex group. Significant improvements in HRQOL, particularly on the psychosocial subscales, occurred for both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
HRQOL for bipolar youth improves following pharmacological treatments. However, distinct effects of specific treatments may exist, and impairment in several domains persists.
Rademacher
Jennifer
J
Division of Bipolar Disorders Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA.
DelBello
Melissa P
MP
Adler
Caleb
C
Stanford
Kevin
K
Strakowski
Stephen M
SM
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D012803:Sick Role; D012917:Social Adjustment; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018692:Antimanic Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D014635:Valproic Acid