The quality of life of patients suffering from bipolar disorder – a comparison with schizophrenic patients and healthy controls

Abstract

Host of studies have now examined QoL in patients with major depressive disorder and schizophrenia until recently few had specifically focused upon QoL in patients with bipolar disorder. The purpose of the present study was to find out the QoL data in patients suffering from bipolar disorder in clinical remission and examine the extent of the effects of the demographical and clinical data on QoL in these patients. The second aim was to compare the QoL data with the data of patients suffering from schizophrenia in clinical remission and with healthy controls.Data were obtained by using the quality of life questionnaire (Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction - Q-LES-Q) for 41 bipolar patients in clinical remission. The data of these subjects were compared with the data of 40 schizophrenic patients in clinical remission and with 40 healthy controls.There are statistically significant difference in comparison with schizophrenic patients, but not in comparison with healthy controls. There were higher mean scores in most Q-LES-Q summary scales in patients with bipolar disorder in comparison with schizophrenic patients and in some summary scales in comparison with healthy controls.Our results suggest the same or higher subjective quality of life in patients suffering with bipolar disorder in clinical remission in comparison with healthy controls and higher subjective quality of life in bipolar patients in clinical remission in comparison with schizophrenic patients in clinical remission.

Supported by grant IGA MZ ČR NT11047