title: Mood instability and functional recovery in bipolar disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify psychopathological factors associated with long-term functional outcome in euthymic bipolar disorder patients and to test new measures of mood instability and symptoms intensity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five patients with more than 12 months of follow-up were included. In addition to traditional clinical variables, the time spent ill was documented using a modified life-charting technique based on NIHM life-charting method. New measures, Mood Instability Factor, and Mood Intensity Factor were defined and assessed. Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) was used to assess disability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The follow-up period was 3.00 ± 1.51 years. Weeks with subsyndromal depressive symptoms (β = 0.133, t = 2.556, P = 0.014), weeks with mild manic symptoms (β = 1.441, t = 3.10, P = 0.003), and the Mood Instability Factor (β = 0.105, t = 3.593, P = 0.001) contributed to approximately 46% of the FAST total score variance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New methodologies including subsyndromal symptoms and mood instability parameters might contribute to understand the worse long-term functional outcome that affects a considerable percentage of BD patients even after episode remission. Concerns about therapeutic approaches are discussed.
authors: Bipolar Disorder Program, Neuroscience Institute, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina. sstrejilevich@ffavaloro.org
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Strejilevich
authors: D J
authors: DJ
authors: Martino
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Murru
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Teitelbaum
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Fassi
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Marengo
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Igoa
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Colom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D018450:Disease Progression; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020127:Recovery of Function; D063189:Symptom Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D013995:Time
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: bipolar disorder; clinical aspects; methodology