A pilot study of standardized treatment in geriatric bipolar disorder

Objective: The authors sought to determine the feasibility of treating elderly adults with bipolar disorder under standardized-treatment conditions. Methods: Thirty-one patients age 60 and older with bipolar disorder were treated in standardized pathways. Mood state was checked at each study visit with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17 item (Ham-D-17) and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). Results: De ning "well days" as both Ham-D and YMRS scores of <= 10, the mean percentage of well days was 72.5 (range: 0%-100%) over study participation. Conclusions: Treating older adults with bipolar disorder under standardized treatment is feasible and is associated with low symptom levels. However, most older adults with bipolar disorder do not experience sustained recovery.