AT THE APA ANNUAL MEETING
ATLANTA (FRONTLINE MEDICAL NEWS) – A new smartphone application aimed at providing psychoeducation to patients with bipolar disorder was well received and showed promise for improving outcomes in a feasibility study, according to Dr. Eduard Vieta.
Early results of the study showed that adherence was quite high, with retention at 76% among 49 patients with bipolar disorder who tested the SIMPle app (Self Monitoring and Psychoeducation in Bipolar Patients with a Smartphone Application), Dr. Vieta said at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.
The app, currently available for free for Android and iPhones, is an interactive educational program that includes weekly and daily tests, with alerts for patients to take medications or see their doctor.
The patients in the study were representative of generally stable bipolar disorder patients in a real-world setting, as the app ideally would be used by those who are “in near remission or at least not acutely ill,” said Dr. Vieta of the University of Barcelona.
“People like the app and did follow the daily and weekly tests, which is a good sign,” he said, noting that satisfaction was high, and good correlation between test scores and mood changes suggested that the app is reliable for monitoring mood changes.
There were 10 suicide alerts during the study that were quickly addressed because messages were received immediately, he said.
The latest version of the app includes simpler navigation, rewards for fulfilling the daily and weekly testing, and medication reminders.
Dr. Vieta and his colleagues at the University of Barcelona previously have demonstrated the value of psychoeducation among patients with bipolar disorder. They developed a successful psychoeducation program in the late 1990s, which led to a trial published in 2003 and development of a training manual in 2006 that has been translated into numerous languages.
The program and trial showed that adding psychoeducation to medication in patients with bipolar disorder improves outcomes in terms of relapse and hospitalizations: the rate of relapses in the study was reduced by nearly 80%, Dr. Vieta said.
Providing such education, however, which has become a standard of care, is limited by the need for personnel training and by staffing and financial resource constraints.
“We wanted something nonstigmatizing but also linked to the clinical care team. … Clearly, we would like to make this intervention more widely available without compromising quality,” Dr. Vieta said, describing the impetus for the SIMPle app.
A phase II, randomized controlled study of the app is now underway, he said, adding that “this is really quite exciting. … There is huge potential for things we can do with this app.”
Dr. Vieta is a consultant or adviser for several pharmaceutical companies. He also has received research grants, honoraria, or consulting fees from numerous entities.
