OBJECTIVES: To create an evidence map of the different patient-reported outcome instruments used in studies of patients with bipolar disorder, the geographical settings in which these studies were conducted and the interventions assessed.

METHODS: We searched the heoro.com database (www.heoro.com) for PRO studies on bipolar disorder published between 1960 and December 16 2016, and analysed the abstracts identified by the search to determine the different PRO instruments cited across the range of geographical locations and interventions. We presented the findings as an evidence map. RESULTS: We found a total of 1 abstracts that reported the use of different PRO instruments. Of these instruments, were specific for bipolar disorder, depression or mania, were general instruments used to evaluate quality of life, functioning or utilities, nine assessed other conditions or diseases that were common comorbidities of people with bipolar disorder, including anxiety, eight assessed treatments or adherence, three evaluated the impact of the disease on work productivity and one assessed caregiver burdenSF-36, cited in abstracts, followed by the Young Mania Rating Scale ( abstracts), Q-LES-Q ( abstracts), Hamilton Depression scale (), MADRS () and SF-12 and WHOQOL-BREF (1). The United States was the most common setting, with the United Kingdom (8 abstracts), Canada and Italy ( abstracts each), then Australia, Brazil and Spain (6 abstracts each)Drug interventions were assessed in 28 abstracts,and psychological interventions in 15

CONCLUSIONS: A wide range of PRO tools have been used in studies of bipolar disorder, but only ten tools were cited in more than five abstracts each. Research into the quality of life in bipolar disorder has generally been assessed from a US perspective.