ABSTRACT
We investigated the progress of patients hospitalized with bipolar disorder I (BP-I) at onset in manic episode, who were treated with antipsychotic drugs. The aims of the study were to estimate the time point shift where the patients show an improvement of manic symptoms and its behaviour characteristics, in relevance to the administered equivalent daily doses of antipsychotic drugs. The equivalent dose between antipsychotic drugs was converted with reference to risperidone. 42 manic patients (males=13, mean age=41.6 years) with BP-I were treated daily with conventional and atypical antipsychotics, and evaluated in severity of manic symptoms and their cognitive and behavioural characteristics using Young' Mania Rating Scale. Evaluation of manic symptoms was taking place weekly during hospitalisation in Psychiatric Adult Section Clinic of General Hospital. Manic symptomatology showed a statistical decrease (P<0.001) from baseline to the fourth (and lasted up to the eighth) week of hospitalisation in the 76% of patients, with this decrement to reflect the decline of mean total score in YMRS from 39.3 to 29 and to 23.3, respectively. Increasing the mean equivalent antipsychotic dose to 9.3 mg daily (SD±1.3) there was a decrement in manic symptomatology with change to occur at about third week of treatment. We discuss the findings either with reference to the point of remission of manic symptoms.
