TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of specialised versus generalised outpatient treatment for bipolar disorder

T2 - The CAG Bipolar trial-study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

AU - Kessing, Lars Vedel

AU - Kyster, Natacha Blauenfeldt

AU - Bondo-Kozuch, Pernille

AU - Christensen, Ellen Margrethe

AU - Vejstrup, Birgitte

AU - Smidt, Birte

AU - Jørgensen, Anne Marie Bangsgaard

AU - Rosenberg, Raben

AU - Mardosas, Darius

AU - Rasmussen, Louise Behrend

AU - Vinberg, Maj

AU - Hageman, Ida

AU - Faurholt-Jepsen, Maria

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Introduction Despite current available treatment patients with bipolar disorder often experience relapses and decreased overall functioning. Furthermore, patients with bipolar disorder are often not treated medically or psychologically according to guidelines and recommendations. A Clinical Academic Group is a new treatment initiative bringing together clinical services, research, education and training to offer care and treatment that is based on reliable evidence backed up by research. The present Clinical Academic Group for bipolar disorder (the CAG Bipolar) randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims for the first time to investigate whether specialised outpatient treatment in CAG Bipolar versus generalised community-based treatment improves patient outcomes and clinician's satisfaction with care in patients with bipolar disorder. Methods and analysis The CAG Bipolar trial is a pragmatic randomised controlled parallel-group trial undertaken in the Capital Region of Denmark covering a catchment area of 1.85 million people. Patients with bipolar disorder are invited to participate as part of their outpatient treatment in the Mental Health Services. The included patients will be randomised to (1) specialised outpatient treatment in the CAG Bipolar (intervention group) or (2) generalised community-based outpatient treatment (control group). The trial started 13 January 2020 and has currently included more than 600 patients. The outcomes are (1) psychiatric hospitalisations and cumulated number and duration of psychiatric hospitalisations (primary), and (2) self-rated depressive symptoms, self-rated manic symptoms, quality of life, perceived stress, satisfaction with care, use of medication and the clinicians' satisfaction with their care (secondary). A total of 1000 patients with bipolar disorder will be included. Ethics and dissemination The CAG Bipolar RCT is funded by the Capital Region of Denmark and ethical approval has been obtained from the Regional Ethical Committee in The Capital Region of Denmark (H-19067248). Results will be published in peer-reviewed academic journals, presented at scientific meetings and disseminated to patient organisations and media outlets.

AB - Introduction Despite current available treatment patients with bipolar disorder often experience relapses and decreased overall functioning. Furthermore, patients with bipolar disorder are often not treated medically or psychologically according to guidelines and recommendations. A Clinical Academic Group is a new treatment initiative bringing together clinical services, research, education and training to offer care and treatment that is based on reliable evidence backed up by research. The present Clinical Academic Group for bipolar disorder (the CAG Bipolar) randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims for the first time to investigate whether specialised outpatient treatment in CAG Bipolar versus generalised community-based treatment improves patient outcomes and clinician's satisfaction with care in patients with bipolar disorder. Methods and analysis The CAG Bipolar trial is a pragmatic randomised controlled parallel-group trial undertaken in the Capital Region of Denmark covering a catchment area of 1.85 million people. Patients with bipolar disorder are invited to participate as part of their outpatient treatment in the Mental Health Services. The included patients will be randomised to (1) specialised outpatient treatment in the CAG Bipolar (intervention group) or (2) generalised community-based outpatient treatment (control group). The trial started 13 January 2020 and has currently included more than 600 patients. The outcomes are (1) psychiatric hospitalisations and cumulated number and duration of psychiatric hospitalisations (primary), and (2) self-rated depressive symptoms, self-rated manic symptoms, quality of life, perceived stress, satisfaction with care, use of medication and the clinicians' satisfaction with their care (secondary). A total of 1000 patients with bipolar disorder will be included. Ethics and dissemination The CAG Bipolar RCT is funded by the Capital Region of Denmark and ethical approval has been obtained from the Regional Ethical Committee in The Capital Region of Denmark (H-19067248). Results will be published in peer-reviewed academic journals, presented at scientific meetings and disseminated to patient organisations and media outlets.

KW - Adult psychiatry

KW - Depression & mood disorders

KW - Organisation of health services

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048821

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-048821

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34645661

AN - SCOPUS:85117843251

VL - 11

JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

SN - 2044-6055

IS - 10

M1 - e048821

ER -