title: Quality of life in bipolar and schizoaffective disorder--a naturalistic approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in bipolar type I (BD I) and schizoaffective (SQA) patients during a 2-year period in a naturalistic study.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was based on the data generated by the Bipolar Comprehensive Outcome Study, a prospective, non-interventional, observational study of participants with BD I and SQA disorder. Mixed-Model Repeated Measures Analysis was used to analyze changes in the SF-36 and EQ-5D.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants exhibited low health status at baseline with SF-36 mean scores of 46.7±10.5 and 36.9±12.9 (best imaginable health=100, normal population≈50) for physical and mental components, respectively. No significant differences were found between the ratings of the BD I and SQA patients on HRQoL. The SF-36 SMC improved significantly over 24 months although SPC scores remained consistent across the study. On the whole, the lowest SMC score was observed among the depressed patients (38.20), followed by the patients with a mixed state (39.01) and the manic patients (39.83).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observational design may have limited the causal relationships and the generalizability within the current findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HRQoL was significantly impaired in all stages of BD and SQA when compared to the general population. The impairment of HRQoL was most pronounced in the depressed state, followed by the mixed state and then the manic state. The euthymic patients showed the least impairment. In addition, patients showed a global improvement in their mental health satisfaction over the 2 years follow up period.
authors: School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; Parc de Salut Mar, Institute of Neuropsychiatry and Addictions, Passeig Marítim 25-29, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: marta.martin.subero@gmail.com.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Martín-Subero
authors: School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Berk
authors: School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Dodd
authors: School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Kamalesh
authors: School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Maes
authors: Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University Central Clinical School, Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Kulkarni
authors: Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University Central Clinical School, Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: De Castella
authors: Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, The Alfred Hospital and Monash University Central Clinical School, Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
authors: P B
authors: PB
authors: Fitzgerald
authors: School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Orygen Research Centre, Parkville, Australia; Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Berk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires