The lithium index in a one-year follow-up.
1. In a one-year follow-up 191 patients on lithium therapy, besides their regular check-ups, were assessed on mood, side-effects and intracellular lithium. 2. The authors were not able to find a correlation between the so called lithium index (i.e. the quotient intracellular lithium/plasma lithium) and the mood score. 3. In the group of patients which used no co-medication at all during the year of the follow-up the authors also failed to find a correlation between the lithium index and some of the clinically most relevant side-effects. However, in that selected group of "only-lithium-using-patients"-only 29 in all-the authors found a remarkable stability in the index value. 4. So even if the authors, in fact, rejected the lithium index estimation as a tool in daily praxis, the authors would once again underline the interesting findings about the so-called lithium index.
Kamp
J S
JS
Parkpolikliniek of the Deltahospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Oey
M S
MS
Leijnseybema
H J
HJ
Most
E V
EV
Van Dort-Stam
Y
Y
D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008094:Lithium