The classic opinion of a favorable prognosis of bipolar disorders, compared to schizophrenia, is refuted by modern conceptions.

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life (QOL) in bipolar patients compared to schizophrenic patients’, and to identify clinical and sociodemographic variables statistically associated to a poor QOL in bipolar disorder patients.

One hundred and twenty outpatients, 50 with bipolar disorder and 70 with schizophrenia, according to DSM-IV-TR criteria, were included in the study. The QOL has been assessed, in all patients, using the «36 item Short-Form Health Survey» (SF-36).

Thirty-six percent of the bipolar patients had a poor QOL, versus 37% among the schizophrenic patients. The bipolar patients had the score of the standardized vitality subscale significantly lower than schizophrenic patients’ (p = 0.036); the latter had the standardized general health subscale score significantly lower (p = 0.03). There were no other statistically significant differences. The multivariate analyses showed three variables significantly correlated to a poor QOL in bipolar patients: age at the time of the study ≥ 40 years (p = 0.01), professional irregularity or inactivity (p = 0.005), age at onset ≥ 25 years (p = 0.004).

Our survey of the QOL in bipolar patients showed that it did not differ globally from the schizophrenic patients’, with the SF-36 scale. Results reported in the literature are not in agreement. Further longitudinal studies on several months, with other assessments, would permit to verify the validity of our results.