Prospective Metabolic Monitoring of Youth and Adults With Bipolar Disorder

Inclusion criteria

• Provision of written informed consent
• Diagnosis of BD type I, II, or NOS as determined by DSM-IV diagnostic criteria (confirmed using SCID or K-SADS)
• Both females and males, age14 to 65 years
• Decision by physician and patient to initiate pharmacotherapy with a traditional mood stabilizer or atypical antipsychotic
• Able to understand and comply with requirements of the study
• Proficient in English.

Exclusion criteria

• A primary psychiatric disorder other than bipolar disorder I, II or NOS (comorbid Axis I or II disorders are permitted, as long as clinician judges that bipolar disorder is the primary condition)
• Initiation of an antipsychotic, mood stabilizer or other medication with known endocrine-metabolic effects within 4 weeks prior to baseline visit
• Patients who, in the investigators opinion, are unlikely to adhere to pharmacotherapy for at least 4 weeks after baseline visit
• Significant medical condition that would contraindicate the use of mood stabilizers or atypical antipsychotics
• Patients who are receiving pharmacological treatment for diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidemia, or obesity
• Acute or chronic medical illness (e.g. urinary tract infection, bronchitis, rheumatoid arthritis) that, as judged by the investigator, would significantly alter inflammatory, metabolic, or endocrine indices
• Screening bloodwork that identifies any other clinically significant deviation from the reference range in clinical laboratory test results, as judged by the investigator.