Biological rhythms and quality of life in remitted bipolar disorder patients in comparison with normal controls: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Biological rhythm disturbances are reported in bipolar disorder, which may be causally related. The objective of our study was to estimate the impairments in biological rhythm and quality of life (QoL) in remitted bipolar patients in comparison to normal controls and examine the association between them. METHODS: We studied biological rhythm and QoL in 86 bipolar disorder patients and 86 matched healthy controls, using Biological Rhythms interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry and World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment.RESULTS: There was significantly higher Biological Rhythms interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry scores in bi-polar patients compared to controls, with large effect size, specifically in sleep, activity and social rhythms domains. World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment domain scores were lower among patients than controls, with large effect size. All the domains of QoL were negatively associated with the sleep and social rhythms domain as well as the global score of biological rhythms. Lack of generalizability of the findings and the possible impact of prior psychoeducation on the same.CONCLUSIONS: Biological rhythm disturbances persist during euthymia in bipolar disorder and correlates with poorer QoL.