Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic, recurring illness that can lead to serious disruptions in functioning.

To evaluate functionning in this population and to explore the relationship with socio-demographic and clinical features of BD.

This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study including patients with BD (DSM V) in euthymia, followed on an ambulatory basis to the Mood Disorders Unit of the Psychiatry A Department at Hedi Chaker Hospital University of Sfax between January and April 2019. Patients were considered euthymic if they scored less than 7 on the Young Mania (YMRS) rating scale and less than 8 on the Hamilton Depression scale (HDRS-17). The Short Function Evaluation Test (FAST scale) was used to evaluate functionning. Global functional impairment is defined by a total FAST score>11.

We recruited 62 patients with a mean age of 45.65 years (SD=13.3) and a sex ratio of 1.13. 88.7% of patients were followed for BD I and 11.3% for BD II. The mean age of onset was 29.37 years (SD=11.6). The mean numbers of manic and depressive episodes were respectively 3.73 (SD=3.8) and 2.48 (SD=2.9). The mean FAST score was 28.97 (SD=15). Overall impairment was observed in 85.5% of patients. Impaired functionning was significantly more frequent in patients with a history of surgery (p=0.046), in those with a higher number of depressive episodes (p<0.001) and in subjects with partial remission (p=0.01).

Thus, the treatment should target not only the improvement of symptoms but also the reduction of the incapacity of patients.

Several studies have shown that residual mood symptoms affect the psychosocial functioning of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) in euthymia.

To evaluate specific areas of functioning in this population and to explore the relationship with residual mood symptoms.

This is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study including patients with BD (DSM V) in euthymia followed on ambulatory basis to the Mood Disorders Unit of the Psychiatry A Department at Hedi Chaker Hospital in Sfax between January and April 2019. Patients were considered euthymic if they scored below 7 on the Young Mania Assessment Scale (YMRS) and under 8 on the Hamilton Depression scale (HDRS-17). Residual manic and depressive mood symptoms were assessed using YMRS and HDRS-17. The Short Function Evaluation Test (FAST) was used to evaluate the overall and specific functionning domains.The alteration of the domain-specific functioning is defined by the following thresholds: autonomy>1, professional functioning>1, cognitive functioning>2, financial problems>1, interpersonal relations>3 and leisure time>3.

We recruited 62 patients with a mean age of 45.65 years (SD = 13.3) and a sex ratio 1.13.The medians of YMRS and HDRS scores were respectively 2[0-5] and 2[0-7]. Global functionning impairment was observed in 85.5% of patients. Marked impairment of professional and cognitive functioning was observed in 98.4% and 77.4%, respectively. Alteration of the relational sphere was significantly more frequent in patients with residual depressive symptoms (p=0.009); impairment of autonomy was significantly more frequent in subjects with manic residual symptoms (p=0.005).

Residual symptoms should be considered as specific targets of treatment to improve functioning.