Lithium ratio in psychiatric patients: a caveat.
We divided bipolar patient samples into two groups: Group I (off lithium 10 days to 2 weeks, n = 14) and group II (off lithium 3 weeks or longer, n = 13). Only group I was significantly different from controls. The mean for group II was significantly different from that for group I but not that for controls. Previous reports may have exaggerated the number of "high ratio" patients due to a treatment artifact. We recommend that patients be tested only after having been withdrawn from lithium treatment for 3 weeks or more. Otherwise spurious differences between patients and controls may result.
D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000097:blood*; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors
D008094:Lithium