WAVE-bd provides information on the clinical management and outcomes of BDI and II patients in daily clinical practice.

To describe French patients (n=480) clinical outcomes up to 18 months.

WAVE-bd included patients with ≥1 mood event (index episode) in the preceding 12 months before inclusion and followed ≥ 9 months (total participation 12 to 27 months).

2896 patients were analysed worldwide, 17% in France (53% in private practice, 47% in public practice): mean age 47 years (SD: 12.51), women, 65%; BD-I, 59%; BD-II, 41%; index event depressive, 64%; hypomanic, 21%; manic, 9%; mixed, 6%.

During follow-up, 77 patients (16%) reported relapses (1.25 patient-years; 95%CI = [1.04; 1.49]) and 176 patients (37%) reported recurrences (0.65 patient-years; 95%CI = [0.57; 0.74]). The most common type of reported recurrence (n; %) was depressive (114; 24%) rather than hypomanic (64; 13%), manic (14; 3%) or mixed (11; 2%). Suicide attempt was reported in 25 patients (5,2%, 0.046 patient-years; 95%CI=[0.031;0.064]). The most common type of treatment during manic and hypomanic episodes was atypical antipsychotics AAP (69% and 49%, respectively) while during depressive episodes, the most common types of treatment were antidepressants (82%).

These results show a high incidence of relapse and recurrence of mood events and the more frequent depressive polarity in BD patients in France. Further analyses are required to evaluate which factors influenced the severity (relapse, recurrence and suicidality) of the disease. Overall, antipsychotics and antidepressants were most commonly prescribed for manic and depressive episodes, respectively.