title: Comparison between saliva and serum lithium concentrations in patients treated with lithium carbonate.
abstract: The relation between serum and saliva lithium concentration was studied in patients treated with lithium carbonate. In 23 patients a highly variable saliva/serum ratio was found in simultaneous saliva and serum samples. In five patients studied during a period of 4-8 weeks three patients showed a high fluctuation in saliva/serum lithium ratio. In 20 patients saliva lithium concentrations varied unexpectedly in a second sample produced after 15 min. Although some authors report a high and stable relation between saliva and serum lithium concentration, we consider the saliva lithium level unreliable as a prediction of the serum lithium level in patients treated with lithium carbonate.
mesh_terms: D002254:Carbonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002254:Carbonates; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008094:Lithium