Lurasidone Improves Health-Related QOL in Patients With Bipolar Disorder

Patients with bipolar depression had improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) following lurasidone monotherapy, according to findings published in Current Medical Research and Opinion.

Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Patients with bipolar disorder and depression were randomly assigned to receive either 20 to 60 mg/day or 80 to 120 mg/day lurasidone (n=323) or placebo (n=162) for 6 weeks followed by a 6-month open-label lurasidone extension (n=316). The primary outcome for this post hoc analysis was the change in the 16-item Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF) score from baseline.

The lurasidone and placebo groups included patients with a mean age of 41.7 (SD, 12.3) years and 41.2 (SD, 12.5) years (58.5% and 53.7% women, respectively; 65.9% and 66.0% White, respectively). The duration of the current depression episode was 11.9 (SD, 9.0) weeks and 10.6 (SD, 6.1) weeks, respectively.

Total Q-LES-Q-SF scores increased from an average of 32.9 at baseline to 45.6 at week 6 among the lurasidone recipients and from 33.1 to 41.3 among placebo recipients, indicating a significant treatment effect (P <.001).

Among the 16 components of the Q-LES-Q-SF, only the sexual drive, interest, and/or performance; ability to get around physically; and ability to do work or hobbies components were not significantly improved with lurasidone therapy compared with placebo. The components with the greatest changes were overall satisfaction and contentment (effect size, 0.57; P <.001), social relationships (effect size, 0.55; P <.001), and medication satisfaction (effect size, 0.48; P <.001).

During the 6-month extension, Q-LES-Q-SF scores increased from 44.8 to 50.2, corresponding with a 9.6% improvement. All 16 components improved significantly during the extension, with the greatest changes to mood, ability to function in daily life, and overall life satisfaction and contentment.

The major limitation of this study is the fact that the Q-LES-Q-SF instrument may be vulnerable to recall bias.

Study authors conclude, “Treatment with lurasidone monotherapy provided a significant improvement across HRQoL items, with the greatest improvements in overall life satisfaction, social and family relationships, medication satisfaction, and ability to function in daily life. Improvement in Q-LES-Q-SF total and item scores were sustained for patients in the 6-month open-label extension study.”

Disclosure: Multiple authors declared affiliations with industry. Please refer to the original article for a full list of disclosures.

This article originally appeared on Psychiatry Advisor