title: Lithium ratio in vitro. Diagnosis and lithium carbonate response in psychotic patients.
abstract: The distribution of RBC lithium ratios in vitro in a recently hospitalized psychiatric population was found to be multimodal. Psychotic patients who had an antipsychotic response during open trials of lithium carbonate alone were identified with high sensitivity (89%), but low specificity (51%) before drug treatment, by lithium ratios that were in the extreme modes of the distribution (less than 0.30 or greater than 0.38). Diagnostic efficiency of the test was 61%. The DSM-III diagnosis of schizophreniform disorder demonstrated 90% diagnostic efficiency in predicting response/nonresponse during treatment with lithium carbonate alone. A subgroup of the psychotic disorders was similar to affective disorders with respect to course of illness, biological characteristics, and response to lithium carbonate.
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000032:analysis*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000032:analysis; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000032:analysis; D008094:Lithium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008094:Lithium