Teaching patients to recognise early symptoms of relapse reduced manic relapses and improved social functioning in bipolar disorder

(1999) BMJ 318, 149; Perry A, Tarrier N, Morriss R, . et al. . Randomised controlled trial of efficacy of teaching patients with bipolar disorder to identify early symptoms of relapse and obtain treatment. . Jan 16; . : . –53. . [OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] 
 Question In patients with bipolar disorder receiving routine care, is an education programme that trains patients to identify early symptoms of relapse effective in reducing manic and depressive relapses and improving social functioning? Randomised, single blind, controlled trial with 18 months of follow up. 3 NHS trusts in north west England. 69 patients who had a lifetime diagnosis of bipolar disorder, had had ≥2 relapses with 1 in the previous 12 months, and were between 18 and 75 years of age (mean age 45 y, 69% women). Exclusion criteria were inability to communicate in English, drug or alcohol abuse as a primary problem, or organic cerebral cause for bipolar disorder. Follow up was 99% for relapse and 86% for social functioning. Patients were allocated to training plus routine care (n=34) or … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBMJ%26rft.stitle%253DBMJ%26rft.issn%253D0007-1447%26rft.aulast%253DPerry%26rft.auinit1%253DA.%26rft.volume%253D318%26rft.issue%253D7177%26rft.spage%253D149%26rft.epage%253D153%26rft.atitle%253DRandomised%2Bcontrolled%2Btrial%2Bof%2Befficacy%2Bof%2Bteaching%2Bpatients%2Bwith%2Bbipolar%2Bdisorder%2Bto%2Bidentify%2Bearly%2Bsymptoms%2Bof%2Brelapse%2Band%2Bobtain%2Btreatment%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F9888904%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=bmj&resid=318/7177/149&atom=%2Febmental%2F2%2F3%2F83.atom