INTRODUCTION: Sleep disturbance is considered both as a risk factor and a symptom of mood episodes in bipolar patients (BP). On the other hand, sleep disturbance is also common in euthymic BP(1).It is found that BP with poor sleep quality has also poorer functioning and quality of life compared to other BP(1,2). In this study, we aim to evaluate the effect of sleep disturbance on functioning in euthymic BP.
METHODS: 109 BP, who were euthymic for at least one month recruited from a specialized mood disorders outpatient unit. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Bipolar Disorder Functioning Questionnaire (BDFQ)(3) were applied.
RESULTS: Proportion of patients with a level indicative of a clinically significant sleep disturbance was 65,1% and the mean global PSQI score was 6,99±3,39. The mean total BDFQ score of the patients was 108,74±13,13. There was no difference between the bad sleeper group and the good sleeper group in terms of total BDFQ score and BDFQ subscale scores.
DISCUSSION: Sleep disturbance is very high even in euthymic BP. However, we did not find significant effect of sleep disturbance on functioning in BP, discrepant with the prior studies(1,2). In order to understand the possible role of sleep disturbance on functioning and quality of life in BP, larger sample-sized prospective studies considering also the clinical features of BP, are needed.
1-GiglioLM et.al.Sleep in bipolar patients.SleepBreath2009;13:169-173
2-GruberJ et.al.Sleep functioning in relation to mood,function,andquality of life at entry to theSystematicTreatmentEnhancementProgramforBipolarDisorder(STEP-BD).JAffect Disord.2009;114:41-49.
3-Aydemir Oet.al.Development of a Questionnaire to Assess Inter-EpisodeFunctioningin BipolarDisorder: BipolarDisorderFunctioning Questionnaire.TurkPsikiyatriDerg.2007;18:344-352