title: The relationship of plasma to erythrocyte lithium levels in patients taking lithium carbonate.
abstract: Plasma and erythrocyte lithium levels have been determined repeatedly in twelve patients taking lithium carbonate for affective disorders. In any individual the plot of the plasma lithium level against erythrocyte/plasma ratio is linear, but the ratio can either increase or decrease with increasing plasma lithium concentration. Erythrocyte/plasma ratio is an unsound basis for comparing individual responses to lithium.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
chemical_list: D008094:Lithium