Two-Year Treatment Outcomes Of An Australian Outpatient Cohort With Bipolar I Or Schizoaffective Disorder

  • Jayashri Kulkarni, The Alfred and Monash University, Australia
  • Prof Michael Berk, Barwon Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
  • Paul Fitzgerald, The Alfred and Monash University, Australia
  • Anthony de Castella, The Alfred and Monash University, Australia
  • Dr Seetal Dodd, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences University of Melbourne, Australia
  • Sacha Filia, The Alfred and Monash University, Australia
  • Kate Filia, The Alfred and Monash University, Australia
  • Lesley Berk, ORYGEN Research Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia
  • William Montgomery, Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd, Australia
  • A/Prof Meg Smith, University of Western Sydney, Australia
  • Alan Brnabic, Intercontinental Information Sciences, Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd, Australia
  • Amanda Lowry, ICIS, Eli Lilly, Australia
  • Katarina Kelin, Eli Lilly Australia Pty Ltd, Australia

    • Background: The Bipolar Comprehensive Outcomes Study (BCOS) is a 2-year observational study of participants with bipolar I (n=175) or schizoaffective disorder (n=64).
    Aim: To explore clinical and functional outcomes associated with 'real-life' treatment.
    Method: Participants prescribed olanzapine (n=84) or conventional mood stabilizers (n=155) were assessed every 3 months. Twenty-four month longitudinal clinical, pharmacological, functional and socio-economic data are presented.
    Results: At study entry, 51% participants smoked daily, 29% were unemployed, and 63% had considered suicide in the previous month. Overall, 44% of participants required hospitalisation during the study, spending a cumulative median of 21 days (range 1-345). By the end of the study, 68%(n=41/60) of participants who reported severe depression at baseline were mildly depressed; 17%(n=30/176) became severely depressed (from mild/moderate baseline symptoms); 29%(n=29/99) lost their paid employment; 73%(n=33/45) who were manic at baseline had no mania and 11%(n=21/192) developed mania.
    Conclusion: BCOS provides important insight into the clinical and functional outcomes associated with long-term treatment for bipolar and schizoaffective disorders.