Impact of residual thymic symptoms in quality of life in bipolar patients in euthymia

Abstract

Introduction

Several studies have shown that residual mood symptoms affect the psychosocial functioning of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) in euthymia.

Objectives

To evaluate specific areas of functioning in this population and to explore the relationship with residual mood symptoms.

Methods

This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study including patients with BD (DSM V) in euthymia followed on ambulatory basis to the Mood Disorders Unit of the Psychiatry A Department at Hedi Chaker Hospital in Sfax between January and April 2019. Patients were considered euthymic if they scored below 7 on the Young Mania Assessment Scale (YMRS) and under 8 on the Hamilton Depression scale (HDRS-17). Residual manic and depressive mood symptoms were assessed using YMRS and HDRS-17. The Short Function Evaluation Test (FAST) was used to evaluate the overall and specific functionning domains.The alteration of the domain-specific functioning is defined by the following thresholds: autonomy>1, professional functioning>1, cognitive functioning>2, financial problems>1, interpersonal relations>3 and leisure time>3.

Results

We recruited 62 patients with a mean age of 45.65 years (SD = 13.3) and a sex ratio 1.13.The medians of YMRS and HDRS scores were respectively 2[0-5] and 2[0-7]. Global functionning impairment was observed in 85.5% of patients. Marked impairment of professional and cognitive functioning was observed in 98.4% and 77.4%, respectively. Alteration of the relational sphere was significantly more frequent in patients with residual depressive symptoms (p=0.009); impairment of autonomy was significantly more frequent in subjects with manic residual symptoms (p=0.005).

Conclusions

Residual symptoms should be considered as specific targets of treatment to improve functioning.