title: Genetic factors and lithium response in manic-depressive illness.
abstract: The relationship between success in lithium treatment and the presence of affective illness in the families of manic-depressive patients was investigated in a double-blind study of lithium prophylaxis. Of a total of 89 outpatients who were followed for periods of up to 48 months, 43 were randomly assigned to lithium and 46 to placebo. 56% of the lithium-treated patients remained asymptomatic, as compared to 28% of the placebo patients. Of the 24 successfully treated lithium cases, 16 (66%) had at least one first-degree relative with bipolar illness, while only 4 of the 19 lithium failures (21%) had a first-degree relative with bipolar illness. No relationship was found between response to lithium and the presence of unipolar illness in the patients' families.
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010597:Pharmacogenetics; D010919:Placebos
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D008094:Lithium