title: Outcome of mood stabilizer discontinuation in bipolar disorder after 5 years of euthymia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to study the outcome of mood stabilizer discontinuation on recurrence in patients with bipolar disorder after at least 5 years of euthymia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision Diagnostic Criteria for Research, receiving mood stabilizer prophylaxis for at least 5 years, had undergone planned discontinuation, and the rates and time to recurrence were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty (87%) of 23 patients had recurrence, and all of the episodes were manic. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed median time to recurrence following discontinuation of mood stabilizer prophylaxis was 10 months (SE, 6.06 months; 95% confidence interval, 0 to 21.89 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Four fifths of our patients had recurrence following discontinuation of mood stabilizer prophylaxis within 10 months.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Psychiatry, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: P S V N
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Sreejayan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kongasseri
authors.forename: Samir Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Praharaj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D028761:Withholding Treatment / Q000639:trends*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents