Following people at risk of bipolar disorder over 36 months
Follows hospitalized adults at risk of bipolar disorder, and those already diagnosed.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: BAROMETRE : Study on the Prognosis and Course of Individuals With Bipolar Spectrum Disorder
Key facts
- Where
- Angers, Laval, and Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire, FranceSee the 3 sites
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 65 years old?
Source: NCT07872878, who can take part
Where in France
- University hospital of AngersAngers, FranceNo longer taking part
- Hospital of LavalLaval, FranceNo longer taking part
- Centre de Santé Mentale AngevinSainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire, FranceNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- University Hospital, Angers
- Trial code
- NCT07872878
- Record updated
- 14 October 2026
- Original description
Bipolar disorder (BD) is often diagnosed 5 to 10 years after first symptoms, worsening prognosis. "Bipolar At-Risk" (BAR) criteria have been developed to identify people who may be in an early, prodromal stage of BD, but their long-term clinical course is not well characterized. BAROMETRE is a prospective, multicenter, naturalistic study following two groups of hospitalized psychiatric patients aged 18-65 for 36 months: patients meeting BAR criteria (without prior manic/hypomanic episode) and patients with an already diagnosed bipolar disorder (type 1 or 2), used as a clinical reference group. No experimental treatment is imposed; patients receive usual care. At inclusion, 1, 12, 24 and 36 months, participants undergo structured psychiatric interviews and clinician-rated scales (YMRS, MADRS, CGI, C-SSRS, Sachs Bipolarity Index); at 6, 18 and 30 months they complete self-report questionnaires by phone or online (BDI, HCL-32, PSQI, WHOQOL). The main hypothesis is that a clinically significant proportion (around 20%) of BAR patients will convert to a full bipolar disorder (first DSM-5 manic/hypomanic episode) within 36 months. Secondary aims are to describe and compare mood, functioning, quality of life, suicidality, sleep, substance use, trauma/PTSD symptoms, and care pathways (hospitalizations, treatment changes) between the two groups, and, exploratorily, between BAR patients who convert and those who do not. This pilot study aims to better characterize the evolution of at-risk states and generate hypotheses for larger confirmatory studies.Read full original descriptionShow less
BAROMETRE : Study on the Prognosis and Course of Individuals With Bipolar Spectrum Disorder
Bipolar disorder (BD) is often diagnosed 5 to 10 years after first symptoms, worsening prognosis. "Bipolar At-Risk" (BAR) criteria have been developed to identify people who may be in an early, prodromal stage of BD, but their long-term clinical course is not well characterized. BAROMETRE is a prospective, multicenter, naturalistic study following two groups of hospitalized psychiatric patients aged 18-65 for 36 months: patients meeting BAR criteria (without prior manic/hypomanic episode) and patients with an already diagnosed bipolar disorder (type 1 or 2), used as a clinical reference group. No experimental treatment is imposed; patients receive usual care. At inclusion, 1, 12, 24 and 36 months, participants undergo structured psychiatric interviews and clinician-rated scales (YMRS, MADRS, CGI, C-SSRS, Sachs Bipolarity Index); at 6, 18 and 30 months they complete self-report questionnaires by phone or online (BDI, HCL-32, PSQI, WHOQOL). The main hypothesis is that a clinically significant proportion (around 20%) of BAR patients will convert to a full bipolar disorder (first DSM-5 manic/hypomanic episode) within 36 months. Secondary aims are to describe and compare mood, functioning, quality of life, suicidality, sleep, substance use, trauma/PTSD symptoms, and care pathways (hospitalizations, treatment changes) between the two groups, and, exploratorily, between BAR patients who convert and those who do not. This pilot study aims to better characterize the evolution of at-risk states and generate hypotheses for larger confirmatory studies.
Inclusion: Aged 18 to 65 years; Hospitalized in a psychiatric ward in one of the participating centers; French-speaking; Able to understand the study objectives and to give free, informed, signed consent; Affiliated to a social security scheme; Subsyndromal hypomania: abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive or irritable mood for at least 2 but fewer than 4 consecutive days, plus at least 2 of: increased self-esteem/grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, increased talkativeness, flight of ideas, distractibility, increased goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation; Depression with cyclothymic features: major depressive episode (DSM-5) plus a history of numerous subsyndromal hypomanic episodes (not meeting criteria of group a) and numerous depressive episodes; Depression with genetic risk: major depressive episode (DSM-5) plus a first-degree relative with bipolar disorder.
Exclusion: Person receiving involuntary psychiatric care; Diagnosis of psychotic disorder (schizophrenia, delusional disorder); Known intellectual disability or severe autism spectrum disorder (except ADHD); Confirmed neurodegenerative disorder; Psychiatric syndrome of other organic origin (e.g., head trauma, neurological or endocrine disorder); Under guardianship or curatorship; Pregnant, breastfeeding or parturient woman; Person deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision0.