title: To a broader concept of remission: rating the health-related quality of life in bipolar disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship between remission and quality of life in bipolar disorder is incompletely understood. This study aimed to determine cut-points on the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the European Quality of Life Index (EQ-5D) that corresponded with an objective clinical measure of remission in bipolar disorder patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a 2-year prospective observational study of bipolar and schizoaffective patients were analysed. Concordant with previous research, the Clinical Global Impression-Bipolar Version (CGI-BP) was used as an index of remission, specifically the severity scores of 1 (normal, not at all ill) and 2 (borderline mentally ill). The mean SF-36 standardized mental component (SMC) and standardized physical component (SPC) total scores as well as the EQ-5D index score that corresponded with a CGI-BP severity score of 1 or 2 were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean SF-36 score that corresponded with a CGI-BP severity score of 1 or 2, was below 50 for the SPC (49.3) and below 49 for the SMC (48.3). The mean EQ-5D score that corresponded with a CGI-BP severity score of 1 or 2 was below 0.88 (0.87).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the initial sample is sufficiently large (n=240), 49 patients scored 1 and 2 on the CGI-S, of which 12 had schizoaffective disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that a cut-off score of ≥50 for the SPC and ≥49 for the SMC of the SF-36 and ≥0.88 for the EQ-5D index approximates a CGI-BP definition of remission.
authors.affiliation: Deakin University, PO Box 281, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia. 99127@parcdesalutmar.cat
authors.forename: Marta Martin
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Subero
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Seetal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: Jayashri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Castella
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Bipolar disorder; CGI; EQ-5D; Health-related quality of life; Remission; SF-36