Physical activity as a vital sign in patients with bipolar disorder

- Physical activity should be assessed as a vital sign during every consult.
- Those who don't adhere to the health recommendations are less physically fit.
- Those who don't adhere to the health recommendations are at a higher metabolic risk.
- The brevity of the “vital sign method” may help promote physical activity prescription.

The most significant contributor to premature mortality in patients with bipolar disorder is preventable cardiovascular diseases. This study investigated if the Physical Activity Vital Sign (PAVS) assessment (two questions which clarify if a person meets the recommended 150 min of physical activity per week) can identify patients with bipolar disorder at higher risk of cardio-metabolic abnormalities. Clinical differences between those who adhere and those who did not adhere to the physical activity guidelines were investigated using an ANCOVA controlling for age and gender. Sixty-five (29♂) in- and outpatients with bipolar disorder (age=45.1±9.8years) completed the PAVS-questions, underwent full-fasting metabolic screening, and performed a six-minute walk test (6MWT). Those patients not meeting the physical activity recommendations had a higher body mass index, performed worse on the 6MWT and were at a significantly higher risk for cardio-metabolic diseases. Relative risks ranged from 1.33 for having dyslipidemia to 5.33 for hyperglycemia. The current data offer the first evidence that the PAVS assessment might be a useful vital sign in the routine assessment of in- and outpatients with bipolar disorder.