Non-compliance after first episode of manic or mixed mood state: a 17-month follow-up

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the non-compliance rate in patients with bipolar I disorder. The patients admitted to Iran Psychiatric Hospital who were diagnosed as a case of the first episode mania of bipolar I disorder [DSM-IV-TR] by 2 psychiatrists followed by one of them in a longitudinal, prospective and naturalistic study. In the follow-up early non-compliance/irregular drugs use, drug discontinuation and good compliance [GC] in the patients were registered in addition to the recurrences of mood episodes. The term poor compliance [PC] was used for early non-compliance/irregular drugs use and drug discontinuation. The patients were 11 males and 11 females aged 19.6 to 59 [28.4 +/- 10.4]. The study lasted 32.5 months and the subjects were followed between 8 to 24 months [17 +/- 5.3]. Poor compliance [PC] was observed in 8 subjects [38.1%] with male to female ratio of 1.7. Six subjects in PC group [75%] and 3 subjects [23.1%] in GC group had a recurrence of mood episode. Eight subjects with poor compliance included 3 with non-compliance/irregular use and 5 with drug discontinuation. The poor compliance rate in BID cases admitted to this center is close to the previous studies. Repitition of the study with a larger sample size and in multi-center setting is proposed