Cross diagnostic comparisons of quality of life deficits in remitted and unremitted patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
BACKGROUND
Patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) have been found to report lower quality of life (QOL) compared to healthy controls separately. However, data are wanting on cross diagnostic comparisons of QOL within psychotic spectrum conditions. This study examined QOL differences and clinical predictors between schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). Based on extant data, we hypothesized that patients with remitted SCZ and BD had comparable QOL levels, and that more severe symptoms and poorer psychosocial functioning predicted poorer QOL in our patients.


METHODS
Two hundred and twenty-two sex and age-matched subjects (44 BD, 122 SCZ, 56 healthy controls) were assessed on their QOL, psychosocial functioning, symptomatology, and state of remission.


RESULTS
Overall, SCZ patients had worse QOL in the environment domain (p=0.008) and overall QOL (p=0.007) compared with BD patients. Both patient groups in remission had similar QOL, while unremitted SCZ patients reported poorer QOL in all domains compared to unremitted BD patients (p<0.01). Within patients, greater severity of negative symptoms and poorer psychosocial functioning were associated with poorer QOL (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Remission status affected QOL in both patient groups. The association of worse QOL with greater negative psychotic psychopathology and poorer psychosocial functioning highlighted potential clinical markers of QOL, which can aid in the management of psychotic spectrum disorders.
Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
Min Yi
MY
Sum
Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
New Fei
NF
Ho
Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore; Department of General Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore. Electronic address: kang_sim@imh.com.sg.
Kang
K
Sim
D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
Bipolar disorder; Psychosis; Quality of life; Schizophrenia